"Danielle
keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to
this animal shelter at least five times. It has been
weeks now since
we started
all of this," the mother told the volunteer.
"What is
it she keeps asking for?" the volunteer asked.
"Puppy
size!" replied the mother.
"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?"
"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.
-- Author
Unknown
