'Well, we have plenty of puppies, if
that's what she's looking for.'
'I know...we have seen most
of them,' the mom said in frustration...
Just then Danielle
came walking into the office
'Well, did you find one?'
asked her mom. 'No, not this time,' Danielle said with sadness
in her voice. 'Can we come back on the weekend?'
The two women looked at each other,
shook their heads and laughed.
'You never know when we will
get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply,' the
volunteer said.
Danielle took her mother by the hand and
headed to the door. 'Don't worry, I'll find one this weekend,'
she said.
Over the next few days both mom and dad had long
conversations with her.
They both felt she was being too
particular. 'It's this weekend or we're not looking any more,'
Dad finally said in frustration.
'We don't want to hear anything more
about puppy size either,' Mom added.
Sure enough, they were
the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now
Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section
that housed the smaller dogs.
Tired of the routine, mom sat
in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of
cages. There was an observation window so you could see the
animals during times when visitors weren't
permitted.
Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage,
kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one, the
dogs were brought out and she held each one.
One by one she said, 'Sorry, you're not
the one.'
It was the last cage on this last day in search
of the perfect pup.
The volunteer opened the cage door and
the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely.
This time she took a little longer.
'Mom, that's it! I found the right
puppy! He's the one! I know it!' she screamed with joy. 'It's
the puppy size!'
'But it's the same size as all the other
puppies you held over the last few weeks,' Mom said.
'No
not size... the sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed,'
she said.
'Don't you remember? When I asked you
one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of
your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!'
The two women looked at each other for a
moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she
stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.
'Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh.
When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you
both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed
when I held it in my arms,' she said.
Then holding the
puppy up close to her face she said, 'Mom, he loves me. I
heard the sighs of his heart!'
Close your eyes for a moment
and think about the love that makes you sigh. I not only find
it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a
sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool
air on a hot day.
They are the sighs of God! Take the time
to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear.
'Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the
moments that take our breath away.
May each of you feel
and hear the sighs of
God...
