In honor of the World Series starting yesterday and as an homage to one of my all time favorite baseball players’ quotes by Yogi Berra, we’re departing from our typical Wordless(y) Wednesday post to share a “deja vu memory…all over again”…one that came full circle last week when we volunteered with other pet therapy members selling our 2017 pet therapy calendar. We set up our display near the entrance as visitors arrived when a kindly older man strolled into the lobby and walked past us. He smiled and I thought, hmm, well that guy sure looks familiar but like so many other interesting faces you encounter daily, you dismiss the notion immediately and re-enter reality to concentrate on the present. A few moments later, he turned around and came back. He kept looking down at Sam with a cocked head and said, “I think I know that dog, yes…I’m sure I’ve met that dog before.” Sam began his furious tail wagging salute while simultaneously leaning against the man’s thigh. The man smiled broadly and said, “Yes, I do know this dog; he came and visited us at hospice a couple of years ago!” Recognition from another person especially at hospice is sure to take anyone by surprise but there was something special and familiar with his face and the certainty of which he spoke that made me want to dig deeper in the my memory banks. Then it hit me. Of course, now I remember!

On one of our first hospice visits we visited with one of the truly nicest couples we’ve ever met. They made such an impression on me at the time. And while it took me a while to hunt down the photographic evidence of our visit back then, it made me smile once I found it, recalling a lovely visit at a serious time. He was so kind and so complimentary of Sam and his wife was thrilled to have the canine concierge visit and we stayed longer than usual with a hospice patient. They were both so gracious, so warm and inviting. They exuded a great love for each other and for life. Our conversation was of other dogs that had made an impression in their lives but they kept going back to how truly special Sam was. Far be it for me to disagree with someone who thinks this knucklehead was a 4-legged special gift. The essence of humanity oozed from both of them and Sam knew it. While Sam couldn’t heal her, he was able to provide a smile in both of their hearts and a beautiful memory for a chance meeting a couple of years later.

I remembered how excited he was when we visited them wife back then. Even in her weakened state, she was, for a few minutes happily content during our visit. And I couldn’t have been happier to have Sam put a smile on their faces back then and definitely again during this chance reunion with the husband. We chatted and caught up as much as you can with an acquaintance who you’d met years ago. But he was genuinely glad to see Sam again. Likewise, Sam was equally thrilled with the reunion and seemed to remember him too. We always remember those ‘good’ encounters and the lives of those who touch us in special ways and who provide us with beautiful memories then and always.

Live, love, bark! <3