GIFTS in Unexpected Packages

May has bled into June of 2023, but not without leaving an indelible mark upon our lives. In a few paragraphs, I must credit some of the key messengers that visited me/us during this time. Taken as a whole, the message is multi-fold and a continuous streaming of Living Presence.

First, allow me to introduce you to Houdini – Asher! A little visitor with a spirit bigger than all of us put together.

Mr. Houdini presented on our doorstep with eyes figuratively bigger than saucers, a heart that oozed enthusiasm, and a body that could run like the wind, always toward connection, not away.

Try as we might, we could never find his history. Nor, could we find a home for him.

Were we challenged? Oh, Yes, we were in a conundrum! We instantly bonded with this little guy. Or, should I say the two two-legged ones of us in our household were. While we were blown away by Houdini’s unwavering resilience our own 12-year old doggies saw him as a threat.

Try as my husband, Dennis, might to contain this little guy to keep him safe from our two four-legged “children” as well as from any scary outside predators, Houdini would break the barriers to be at both our literal and heart’s front doors! Pure Life Energy, unabated enthusiasm reaching out for connection! We were chosen! But, our circumstances were compromised, challenging. We were between a rock and a hard place. Our consciousness was raised, never to again deny or ignore the enormous pain and suffering of animals and/or people as they attempt to deal with unwanted, unkept animals.

In almost a month of searching for a home for Houdini, literally NO one responded! Then, our granddaughter, Madeleine, a state away in Texas, put out Houdini’s plight to all of her networks. Fast forward several days to when Dennis had an appointment with the Dallas Humane Society to see if they could keep Houdini until a good home was found. Literally, two hours prior to the appointment, Madeleine calls: “Good News!” I have a home for Houdini. Tears of joy flowed.

Madeleine’s good friend and colleague’s doggie had died a few months back on her birthday. She had been grieving and was now ready for a doggie. A few hours later, when she met Houdini, it was love at first hug! We all celebrated this instant bond and off they went. Houdini, now named “Asher” which in Hebrew means blessed or happy, gets and receives many hugs, sleeps with his new caregiver, goes to Starbucks for “pupcups” of whipped cream, and spreads his joy throughout his new home and neighborhood.

We have been touched, transformed, as we’ve made our ways through this story. We do not believe that accidents happen but that this whole story has meaning and purpose. As we faced our fears, sensing that we couldn’t keep Houdini but that we also could not send him to his demise, a way was provided. I cannot say that we had no fear. We did. But as we cycled from faith to fear and back again, our eyes opened, and we kept going.

We miss this little guy. But, he was not ours to possess. We know the joy of being the bridge for Houdini to his new place of service. Perhaps Houdini was teaching us to be of service as much as we were advancing him to his new place of service.

Houdini, now named Asher.