I spend a lot of time in the car every day. At least, it's much more than I would like to be spending. It's gotten better since I transferred to a closer college this fall, but I'm still averaging close to 2 hours driving time every day. That's two hours that I can't be studying. That's two hours that I can't be trail running. That's two hours I can't be dog training. That's two hours where I sit almost motionless, strapped to a horrid cushioned chair and stare out a window. Believe me, those two empty hours are painful in a schedule as busy as mine. It's like starving to death in a roomful of poisoned cupcakes.
...or something like that.
Switching gears:
I have always felt that reading is very important. Books are powerful. I firmly believe that the books we read have a huge impact on the way we live our lives and the people we become. Through books, we can access concepts and ideas that we wouldn't necessarily have encountered otherwise. We can meet people and do things and go places that we never could have gone before. And from these hypothetical experiences, we form conclusions about the world and about ourselves that are important, and that change us.
....You may be wondering why I'm writing all this. What could this all possibly have to do with Novel, CCI, or Puppy Raising? Just hang on and I'll get to that. I promise.
You can imagine with what frustration I watched for the past few years as my list of books to read grew ever longer and my minutes of time to read grew ever shorter. Or I should say non-existent. What's worse is that I'm a very slow reader. I would think about this as I drove all those endless empty minutes to school, and to work, and back again.
And then I discovered - or rather re-discovered - audio books, and my life-enjoyment meter jumped about 50 points. As a kid, I was always always listening to a "book-on-tape." I'd listen to them right through the night because my sister would turn them on to go to sleep...but I would never fall asleep.
My 2 hour daily stint in the car was redeemed and I started chugging through my book list at an alarming rate. And now I'm chugging through the Public Library's audio book section. I'm going through about one book a week and it's great.
All that to say this: I recently finished a book that really got me thinking. Maybe you've heard of it. They've made it into a movie that's coming out in December, and no, it's not the Hobbit. Although that is a good book. But it's fiction. And this isn't. It's called The Lone Survivor.
Do you remember, a while back, 2005, there was a big news story about a rescue helicopter full of Navy Seals that got shot down in Afghanistan? They were going in to rescue a 4 man Seal team that had been ambushed by the Taliban. The news report at the time stated that there were no survivors - but there was one.
His story, and that of the men who fought and died beside him that day is truly breathtaking. I'm not kidding, I would get to school and then sit there in my car in the parking lot with my mouth hanging open, just staring at the CD player. The courageous, super-human valiance, the awesome magnitude of these men's sacrifice for their country is impossible to convey.
As I listened, I, of course couldn't help but think of my own brother who is in the Special Forces, or of the Special Forces veteran who gave us all chills at CCI's Southeast August graduation. I am sure that he got the longest spontaneous standing ovation I have ever witnessed - and he deserved every second of it.
My point is this: There are some truly amazing people in this world who give literally everything they have in a selfless effort to create something they very often don't even get to enjoy. It is a very small force of good against a massive expanse of darkness and cruelty and indifference. In light of this level of service, what can I possibly do that could hope to have an impact? How can I show my gratitude? And if I can - because I must - how can I join them? It is an elite group and half-hearted-ness will not suffice. The answer is as simple as it is profound: just raise puppies. It sounds silly. Childish even, but in a world where "only your very best counts, but every little bit matters," it's the best shot I've got at this whole make-a-difference thing.
And it does make a difference.
And it's a difference for the better.
And that, my friends, is why I am a puppy raiser.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Future Plans
Hey ya'll.
I know it's been a little while since my last blog post. In my defense, I haven't exactly had as much blogging material to feed you since Novel went off to college, but at the same time, there are still plenty of things I could - and should - be blogging about. Ya know, fun stories about Novel that I've never posted before, future plans involving CCI, deep, insightful explorations of my inner feelings about Novel since he left for dog college... ;) ...heck, stories about Abbi for once! ...and the like.
I do feel that some of you may be interested to know some of my plans involving CCI. Of course, first and foremost in everyone's mind: "Will I be raising another puppy?" I can't tell you how many times I've been asked that in the past three weeks...really I should say the last year and a half because that's usually the second thing people ask me after asking "how will you give him up?" For most of that year and a half I had to tell people that I would like to, but I just wasn't entirely sure what my life would look like at that point, and I could never give a definitive answer.
Part of the problem was my school. This fall I transferred to a new college. It has been a pretty rough transition with a lot of headaches and paperwork to worry about over the summer, and my schedule this semester is very, very full. I knew I didn't want to throw a new puppy on top of all that. Also, a cursory inquiry informed me that I would not be allowed to bring a puppy in training on campus. We'll have to see about that. I'm not about to drop the issue that easily, and I really feel that we can come to "an understanding" if I personally appeal/explain the situation to the college.
The second part of the problem was my family. That sounds horrible but it really isn't. The rest of my family just isn't exactly gung-ho about animals like I am. Which is fine...you don't exactly have to adore animals to be considered normal...although that would make more sense to me ;) Most of my family has a very "traditional" understanding of the relationship between dogs and people...meaning they think dogs should "be dogs." You know, play rough, stay outside, be able to run off-leash, maybe get a bath twice a year - and that outside in the hose. So, when you think about trying to add a service dog puppy who really should do none of those things to that environment, you can imagine that there would be some issues. Since I am still living at home, my family (some more than others) has had to make some -sometimes unwelcome- changes in order to accommodate the different needs of a service dog in training. (read: If I needed someone else to let Novel out to potty while I was gone, they usually didn't like having to put him on leash. etc.)
Going into this, I knew there would be an adjustment period, and I did my best to prepare myself and my family for it. My family was incredibly gracious, supportive and accommodating toward Novel and I, but admittedly, there were some pretty rough spots. Really, rougher than what I was truly prepared for. There were multiple times when I wondered if I had made a mistake in thinking my family and I were ready, or even capable of raising a service dog. Honestly, puppy raising is hard! It's hard emotionally, hard mentally, hard physically, even. It's hard to function on three hours of sleep because the new puppy doesn't like the kennel...it's even harder to expect your family to do the same. It can be hard sometimes just to make enough time in the day to ensure that puppy has been fed, exercised, socialized, trained, and otherwise well-cared-for. But it IS worth it. It's totally worth it.
So I'm sure that you can understand that although I wanted - and want! - desperately to raise another puppy as soon as possible, I have approached the decision with much trepidation. First and foremost, I wanted to be sure my family was still completely supportive and accepting of the decision. Knowing all the adjustments they have already made for Novel, I definitely don't want to bring a puppy into a resentful environment just because I want to raise another one.
And SO, drum-roll please! I have come to a decision. Well, actually, I came to a decision three weeks ago, but you all didn't know that ;)
I will be getting a second puppy! Apparently after a year and a half with Novel, my family has become pretty accustomed to the whole idea, and don't feel that a second puppy would be too much of an imposition :) I am on "the list" for mid December just after final week ends when I'll have a whole month of Christmas break to get to know puppers before the spring semester starts. You now have permission to wait painfully with me for December when adorable puppy pictures and sweet puppy breath will once again float your way!
I know it's been a little while since my last blog post. In my defense, I haven't exactly had as much blogging material to feed you since Novel went off to college, but at the same time, there are still plenty of things I could - and should - be blogging about. Ya know, fun stories about Novel that I've never posted before, future plans involving CCI, deep, insightful explorations of my inner feelings about Novel since he left for dog college... ;) ...heck, stories about Abbi for once! ...and the like.
I do feel that some of you may be interested to know some of my plans involving CCI. Of course, first and foremost in everyone's mind: "Will I be raising another puppy?" I can't tell you how many times I've been asked that in the past three weeks...really I should say the last year and a half because that's usually the second thing people ask me after asking "how will you give him up?" For most of that year and a half I had to tell people that I would like to, but I just wasn't entirely sure what my life would look like at that point, and I could never give a definitive answer.
Part of the problem was my school. This fall I transferred to a new college. It has been a pretty rough transition with a lot of headaches and paperwork to worry about over the summer, and my schedule this semester is very, very full. I knew I didn't want to throw a new puppy on top of all that. Also, a cursory inquiry informed me that I would not be allowed to bring a puppy in training on campus. We'll have to see about that. I'm not about to drop the issue that easily, and I really feel that we can come to "an understanding" if I personally appeal/explain the situation to the college.
The second part of the problem was my family. That sounds horrible but it really isn't. The rest of my family just isn't exactly gung-ho about animals like I am. Which is fine...you don't exactly have to adore animals to be considered normal...although that would make more sense to me ;) Most of my family has a very "traditional" understanding of the relationship between dogs and people...meaning they think dogs should "be dogs." You know, play rough, stay outside, be able to run off-leash, maybe get a bath twice a year - and that outside in the hose. So, when you think about trying to add a service dog puppy who really should do none of those things to that environment, you can imagine that there would be some issues. Since I am still living at home, my family (some more than others) has had to make some -sometimes unwelcome- changes in order to accommodate the different needs of a service dog in training. (read: If I needed someone else to let Novel out to potty while I was gone, they usually didn't like having to put him on leash. etc.)
Going into this, I knew there would be an adjustment period, and I did my best to prepare myself and my family for it. My family was incredibly gracious, supportive and accommodating toward Novel and I, but admittedly, there were some pretty rough spots. Really, rougher than what I was truly prepared for. There were multiple times when I wondered if I had made a mistake in thinking my family and I were ready, or even capable of raising a service dog. Honestly, puppy raising is hard! It's hard emotionally, hard mentally, hard physically, even. It's hard to function on three hours of sleep because the new puppy doesn't like the kennel...it's even harder to expect your family to do the same. It can be hard sometimes just to make enough time in the day to ensure that puppy has been fed, exercised, socialized, trained, and otherwise well-cared-for. But it IS worth it. It's totally worth it.
So I'm sure that you can understand that although I wanted - and want! - desperately to raise another puppy as soon as possible, I have approached the decision with much trepidation. First and foremost, I wanted to be sure my family was still completely supportive and accepting of the decision. Knowing all the adjustments they have already made for Novel, I definitely don't want to bring a puppy into a resentful environment just because I want to raise another one.
And SO, drum-roll please! I have come to a decision. Well, actually, I came to a decision three weeks ago, but you all didn't know that ;)
I will be getting a second puppy! Apparently after a year and a half with Novel, my family has become pretty accustomed to the whole idea, and don't feel that a second puppy would be too much of an imposition :) I am on "the list" for mid December just after final week ends when I'll have a whole month of Christmas break to get to know puppers before the spring semester starts. You now have permission to wait painfully with me for December when adorable puppy pictures and sweet puppy breath will once again float your way!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)