I looked up just in time to see her reach up and grab the cloth from the edge of the table. The ceramic pot came crashing down. It broke open into many pieces and the strong, beautiful, and in full bloom, Anthrumim (Red Peace Lily), lay on the floor in a pile of dirt. I was in the middle of a zoom meeting. Thankful that my mic was muted so no one heard my: “NO!!!!!!!” although I’m sure from my expressions they could fill in the blanks: it’s the puppy!
She already has a significant portion of my heart, so my response is tempered by my commitment to live through the puppy stage (how long does this last?) and enjoy the companionship of a well-trained dog. I can rethink this plant. It has a history and it’s the best plant I have; the only one that persistently blooms to let me know it’s happy here. I had already moved it once to “higher ground” when I saw her eyeing it on the plant stand last week. I underestimated her agility and strategy to find a different way to get it down to her level. It was the attraction of those beautiful green leaves! Which are toxic, of course.
So…I made the unexpected decision. Get a dog. Get it now. Get a puppy. Influenced by the generosity of my mother and sister, I took the risk and embraced the adventure. It seemed better than winter without a dog. Better than working too much, which is easy for us adults to do. Perhaps having a puppy also prevents one from not being silly as often as is needed for good health. Whatever the reasons or excuses…she is here, and we are living through this stage called “puppy”. Want to meet her? This is TRINITY.
She was already named when she came to me, and she knew her name well. Not to mention the quandary it might bring up if I determined “Trinity” was not a good enough name. It is not lost on me that a couple of weeks before she came, I was hanging an icon in my office; an icon with a title on the back: “Trinity”. So, she is here. My serene life before “puppy” is interrupted by indoor soccer, bones galore, chew toys for every hour, and a lot of night collapses where neither she nor I can move. I’ve met every neighbor that walks, strolls their babies, or has a dog. Word has traveled about her sharp puppy teeth – and – how much she absolutely loves people and other doggies. Our communal joy has increased with a puppy among us. She has some great service work ahead of her! But today…we are living through “puppy stage” together.
The plant I have enjoyed so much was a welcome gift when I started an appointment as Chaplain for the YMCA in 2016. It has thrived and always reminds me of the joyful three years serving with my YMCA friends and family. I’ve repotted it a couple of times over the past few years but had not noticed how much it was expressing its thriving now. When I scooped up the strong, green stems and placed the dirt into new containers, I discovered something. I had three plants, each with blooms on their stems and actually roots that were begging to be given more space to grow! It just wasn’t visible from the small container I’d been watering every week. It had become so familiar I didn’t notice the growth. And now…it’s all so much more!
A puppy makes you play again, in case it’s been a while. Like a good friend who loves you just because you’re you, the puppy is sure a crash here and there will always be followed by a renewed sense of all that is good and right in life: JOY!
I have been blessed by dogs that helped me grow in the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Hopefully the lessons learned in this new “puppy stage” will make me a better human along the way. More to come!
And may we always be mindful that sometimes a crash will break open something that was waiting for your discovery. Thank you, Lord, for that gift!
Life in the Deep End 