Day 1589

Ranger just had his 531st Therapy Dog visit! When we reached our 500th, he was awarded the “Therapy Dogs International Gold Award” for his achievement. At that point, I thought it might be time to retire, but my 13-year-old had a different idea. When I start to gather leash, collar and badges for a visit, his nose is the first to press against the crack in the door to adventure. It is as if he is saying, “Not so fast! I’ve got plans!”

Today, we visited 2nd graders at Lincoln Elementary. While there, we listened to young readers share a book with a big, red dog. Our boy relaxed on his side and insisted on holding the hand of the Volunteer Coordinator. Ms. Diana simply held that paw without any question. The result was a beautiful session all around!

As for Ranger retiring, I don’t believe it will be any time soon. He will let me know…

As humans age, expectations tend to follow the majority of the common age group. For example, daily habits like driving often enter a conversation. Although we seniors feel pretty confident in our abilities, younger folk begin to wonder about our safety. It comes from their love, but it might be too soon!

Let the older generation make a decision about when they need to slow down or eliminate certain activities. One of my favorite stories was about a dear, senior friend who gave up driving. He called us and said, “Hello, this is Bob. I just pulled into a Handicapped Parking spot and hit the sign to the ground. I called the police and then decided it was time to hand over the keys. Would you be so kind as to pick me up and drive my car home?”

If that happens, I will hand over the keys! Until then, like Ranger, I plan to “cautiously” move on with my life like usual!