Starry Wisdom

Miss Willie was one of my cocker spaniels. Small in stature, but large in courage, intelligence, and heart.
She showed me the power of being present with an open heart. Another inspiration for me to pursue this course.
I was visiting my mother in a facility while she recovered from brain surgery. I took Miss Willie and her fur-sibling Nick to visit.
As I was walking them out, Miss Willie darted into a dimly-lit room with Nick close on her heals. I want in to recover them and saw Miss Willie standing up to look at the person on the bed. An old, frail woman curled on her side seemingly asleep. A middle-aged woman sat in a chair a short space away.
“I’m sorry to intrude. They’re curious.”
I made to leave and the woman in the chair stopped me. “Are they therapy dogs?”
“No. Just dogs.”
“My mother loved dogs” she said softly / sadly.
I picked up Miss Willie and put her on the bed and pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat Nick in it.
Miss Willie went up to the woman’s face and softly sniffed and nuzzled her.
Her eyes popped open and after a few seconds found Miss Willie’s face close in front of hers. She smiled and her hand slowly came up and she started patting Miss Willie. Her smile lit up her face and she and Miss Willie just looked into each other’s eyes.
The woman in the chair started crying. I thought I had made a mistake. I don’t know why I did it. It just … felt.
I gently retrieved Miss Willie and Nick to go. The woman on the bed lay there smiling.
“I’m sorry if I disturbed you.”
She smiled and shook her head. “That’s my mother. That is the first time she responded to anything or smiled in months.”
Miss Willie. An open heart and presence.
I will never forget that… or Miss Willie.
I hope to be able to be as good as she was at this.