Sin and forgiveness - part 2

I scare people. I walk down the street with my two dogs and people move out of my way. They run out of my way. Now that it's winter and the sidewalks are iced, people who are so anxious to flee from my arrival move too quickly and end up slipping, falling onto their asses. I was at least 5 meters from one guy when he saw my dogs and tried to bolt across the street except that his dress shoes stood no chance against the compacted snow and he slipped right onto the road and if there had been a car driving by ... Or there was the woman who stopped her two children on the sidewalk and pulled them back against the bushes and hissed at us in Russian as we walked by. Another woman - shriveled powdered face, thin red lined, pursed lips - as she walked by the front of my house, suddenly stopped, thinking we might attack her and then when she realized we were just turning to walk back into our front yard, she gave Stella and Rocky the most evil of evil looks. Although, that time, Stella caught the look, recognized the scent of hate and she turned her head and stared back and grumbled at the woman and the woman, mouth agape, almost fell, grabbing at bushes.

Mornings like that, coming across these disseminators of hate and suspicion, get me down. I try to be understanding but it's no use. I try to explain it away and call it ignorance, call it human nature. I try to justify the behaviour by saying it's because of culture, because of background, because of bad experiences. It's still no use. It still doesn't brighten the morning.

I mean it's not a huge thing. It's not a huge thing like polar ice caps melting or our air turning brown but on a morning when I step out the door with the dogs for their hour long walk and the sky is still black and the -30 degree air feels like needles against any exposed skin, well, the additional bigotry from strangers doesn't help.

And then, just when I'm thinking people are the shits, I get something to remind me that there is always some counterbalance to the nastiness and maybe every black thought is illuminated by hope; every bad deed is pushed back by something good.

I receive an e-mail update about Sammie who was at TAS last summer. She came in with half her body scalded by boiling water from her previous owner. We weren't sure how easy it would be for her to find a home because her burn wounds were so appalling that most people were frightened off but, nevertheless, someone with a great big heart came through for Sammie.

This is the update:


My husband and I adopted Sammie from the location at the Ex this past June. We have been so happy with her progress and wanted to send you an update and some photos. Sammie has become much more outgoing and isn't as afraid of men anymore. She socializes really well with other dogs at dog parks and has been great with young children also. Her scars on her back have gotten better - some fur has grown back and she has put on weight.

Thank you for bringing her into our lives! She is the best!


No, thank you for making my morning bright again.