1.27.2013

Heart Attack

I cannot say I have met a lot of people in my life. Although I feel I have met a lot, most of those I have met I may not know to be true to the character they are. Of all the people and characters I have met I cannot say anyone has had a more true heart than the one person I adore most. It is currently 11pm on a Saturday night. Most people are out and about with friends right now having a good time. Or they are sleeping because they have work in the morning, or have church to go too. Technically the one I am about to talk to you about has both of them tomorrow.

I am relaxing on the couch watching an independent documentary on Wayne White. Look him up if your curious and do not know, cause this is not about him. But in the film, there was this ever present feeling of heart. The man loved what he did and did what he loved. All of which came naturally. That is living! He was an artist. Period. When the film ends, I begin to ponder what is currently going on. Selfishly I look at myself and get frustrated with the kind of agitation only artists and musicians can understand. The conflict between wanting to be out there producing and succeeding, and the struggle to stop being procrastinating and down on yourself with no real hope of your success. As this rattles around in my mind, I stop and begin to realize how blessed I am.

My son is currently sleeping. Peacefully he is in bed dreaming and having fun in whatever play land it is that God himself provides vision too. I look to my left and my right and I see my three dogs, also sleeping. The only one who is not here is my wife. She has been out for a few hours now on a mission. I don't mean a mission, like a vendetta or a have to do this, I mean a mission of the heart.

I assist my wife in running a education and advocacy group for pit bull dogs. We also rescue and foster as well. She is the brains and the educator in the overall project. For the last 15-20 years, she has devoted almost everyday of her life to helping and being around animals. Although the majority of them have been dogs, she has also spent a lot of time with birds, horses, cats, and the occasional exotic. Over the years she has clocked in countless hours of veterinary technician work and assistance, behavioral and obedience training, k9 police protection and search and rescue training, grooming for dogs and horse, cart racing and training with horses, canine good citizen and therapy dog work, companion animal training, and not to mention the all of the outlets she has used to help teach and train others. The stories she can tell about it all will entertain our grandchildren for days and days when we get older. For me, she has the most heart of anyone I have ever met so far in this life, and it continue to grows daily.

As I finish that paragraph, she returns home and fills me in on everything that had went on tonight while she was out on a call about a dog. Here it is late night on a Saturday, and she is still doing what comes natural to her. Loving these dogs.

This write up is about her. She is a motivation for me. She is a focus for me. She influences me daily and has influenced me over the past few years in some major ways. She will push you and challenge you to step up or step forward, because she cares. I have watched her answer texts and phone calls about animal questions at all hours of the day. Answering emails for weeks on end with the same people, asking the same questions, until they finally understand what it is she is teaching them. I have watched her do some amazing things with animals. I have seen the repercussions of her work through others who follow her. Humbly she accepts thanks, although a lot of times she fights it. For her the best thank you that you can provide would be doing what it is she has taught or showed you. Then pass it on to others who can use it as well. She loves what she does, because she does what she loves.

It has it's trials. It has it's ups and downs. There is a lot of pressure, pain, tension, stress, time, money, words, actions and soul, poured in day after day with what she does. It gets really hard sometimes for her to continue. I have been here for her many a times in the last few years when she has wanted to just stop it all and quit. I wouldn't blame her either. She has been non stop almost every day for two decades! What have you done that long? What have I done that long? She has done the above with an overflowing heart. Because of that, she knows she could never really quit. Every now and them she receives a message from someone, (sometimes from half way around the globe) that helps boost her up. People thanking her for doing what she does, and showing others how to do it. Being there for them when they have questions. Being there when they need help. Both personally and with their animals.

The most amazing part about this too, for the last four years, she has done it all while being a stay at home mom. That in itself (especially with our boy) is no easy task. He adds up to all three of our dogs and then some. But she does it. Full on, full time, full heart.

She loves God, she loves her family, she loves her animals. She loves Life! For all she has done, she is nothing short of amazing, and I blessed to have her as my wife. No matter how hard it gets, or how awesome things are, her heart is solid, and it is strong, and it will go until our father takes her home. I can bet your life will change when you get to experience it.

1 comment:

The Realness Inside said...

You guys make a great team! Proud to call you friends and blessed to be a part of your lives.