It was a warm summer day in 2002 when we found Maxine Virginia Swift.   But the truth of the matter is ….  she found us.  She found our hearts.  She touched our lives.

It happened in early July, you see.  Someone called and said a little dog had been discovered on the side of the road, on Rt. 122.  “It” had probably been hit by a car.  She couldn’t walk.  Just a sad, dragging limp.

I went and “took possession” of the this injured animal.  When people initially saw her, many said….”That is ONE UGLY little dog.”  Or…. “That is the ugliest dog I have ever seen.”

But the thing of it was…. Little Max just needed some time.  She needed to heal, and get back on her little paws.   She needed to find her bark again.

And after time.  She did.   Like a dog sniffing out a bone… she found her Mojo.

These days people think she is cute.  In fact, folks have stopped us on the street to ask what “breed” she is… or to snap a picture.

I guess if you think about it….. all of us go through some sort of a “deal” that knocks us back a notch.  It puts us out of whack.  Takes us out of the game for a bit.

But given some time to heal, and some love along the way…. we eventually have the ability to find our way back.

Assuredly.

A way to find our bark again.

A way back to touching other’s people’s lives.  And their hearts.

A way back home.

“You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.” – Irish Saying

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson