Eternal Hope

Maybe you've heard or read it before, "Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from my Dog" ...

For example,

- Run, romp, and play daily.
- On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.
- Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
- Be loyal. Always.
- If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
- When someone you love is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

My Maggie has taught me this and more. She adds humor to my life. One of the things that amazes me about her is her 'eternal hope.' She is a beagle. And beagles think about eating. All the time. And she is ever hopeful that somehow, food has materialized in her bowl. She'll be asleep in the bedroom, lying in a stream of sunshine. The first thing she does upon awakening is to go to the kitchen and check her bowl to see if there is any food there. She goes out to potty, comes in, and goes straight to her bowl to see if there is any food (see photo below). She'll sit and look out our front window watching people in the park. And suddenly, a thought passes through her mind, "Hey, I wonder if there's any food in my bowl. I haven't heard Mom go to the kitchen, but maybe...?" and off she goes to check. She never finds in food in her bowl. She scarfs it all down in under 17 seconds at mealtime. And licks her plate clean. There is nothing left. She is 14 years old. Not once has there ever been food in her bowl. But she never gives up hope. Because, just maybe, this is the time she'll find her beloved treasure of food morsel.

I think God wants us to have that kind of hope. The kind that never wavers. A hope that is eternal. Always believing the best is yet to be. And that just maybe, today we'll find that for which we hope.