Dogs and the People Who Need ThemWord文档下载推荐.docx
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Jointheconversation!
DearGoodLetterreaders,
Thesilenceontheotherendofthephonesaiditall.
Finally,myfather'
svoice,asoundofreasonformythen19yearsoflife,begantospeak.
"
George,Idon'
tthinkthisisaverygoodidea."
Hecontinued.IshouldnothaveadoptedtheGoldenretrieverpuppywhowas,atthetime,snuggledupasleepacrossmyfeet.Nineteen-year-oldcollegesophomoreswhohavejustjoinedafraternityandteeteredonexpulsionfromlackofstudiesdon'
tneedanotherdistraction.It'
snotwise,andit'
snotfairtothedog.
Hislogic,asalways,wasimpeccable.Butthistime,somethingwasdifferent.Heendedupbeingwrong.
SomethingchangedinmewhenJumpin'
JackJasperboundedintomylife.Iwon'
tlieandsayIsuddenlywokeupwithasenseofresponsibilitysuddenlyenvelopingmyeverybreath.Nothingcomesthateasily.
Ihadgrownupintwomiddle-classhomeswhereIwasshoweredwithlovebut,becauseofmyparents'
divorce,hadalmostnoresponsibilities.Nooneexpectedmetodomuchmorethantakeofmyself.Iwasnotneededbyanyone.
Jasperwhimperedthroughthatfirstnight.Forthefirstfewhours,IwonderedwhetherIhaderred.Wasmyfatherright?
Sometimebeforethesunrose,Irealizedsomething.Thislittleballoffurneedsme.Itoldmyself,"
Watson,yougottagetittogether."
Feeding,exercise,training.Theseweremychores,andthosewerehisneedsIhadtofulfill.Therewasmore.Mydaysoflast-secondtripswereover.IhadtomakesureJasperwaswelcome,too.Andwhilehedidn'
tsaymuch,hetookpartineveryconversationaboutourfuturelifetogether.
Howclosewasthenearestparktoanypotentialapartments?
Didtheneighborsminddogs?
Didtheyhaveanyunfriendlyanimalsoftheirown?
AsJasperaged,myconcernbecamewonderingifapotentialhomehadtoomanystairsforhimtoclimb.Wasthereanelevator?
Imustsay,itreallyissomethingtobeneeded.AndasJaspertaughtmehislessonsoflife,Ilearnedvolumesaboutmyself.Ilikedtohelpothers.Igainedaspecialsatisfactionfromhelpingthosewhocouldn'
thelpthemselves.
Ididn'
tbecomeareporterbecauseofJasper,buthe'
sonereasonwhyIhavestuckwithitforadozenyearsandwilllikelycontinuefordecadestocome.
Jasperpassedawayayearago,succumbingtoarapidlyspreadingcancerthatturnedmypowerfulandnoblefriend,foryearstheoneconsistentpartofmylife,intoafrail,tremblingshellofhisformerself.
Whenthetimecameforavettohelphimreachhispersonalending,helookedupatmeonelasttimefromthefloorwhereIcrouchedbesidehim.Hisbeautifulbrowneyesperkedupformeandthenclosedforever.Ihadnevercried--makethatblubbered--foranyonelikeIdidforJasper.
Ithoughttomyself,"
IwishIhaddonemore.Ishouldhavegivenhimmorebrushingsorthemassagesthathelikedsomuchinhisolderyears."
Itwasafinallesson.Whileitsoundsclich閐,Idecidedtodrinkinallthatlifeoffered,especiallyinfriendshipandpersonalrelationships.
Therealityofhisfinallessonrevisitedmejustthispastweekend.Myboss,atruepillarofjournalismnamedLawrenceYoung,diedattheageof47onSaturdayofanapparentheartattack.HewasmybiggestadvocateandasIhavelearnedinrecentdays,amentorforlegionsofotherjournalistsaroundthecountry.
It'
showIcanstomachLawrence'
sdeath.Hewasalwaysteaching,alwayspushingmeformore.Igobbleduphislessons,whichheofferedupoverafternoonsessionsinhisoffice.Certainly,Iwantedmorefromhim,andofcourse,Ineverexpectedhimtodiesosoon.Mytearstoldmethat.
Buthoweverbriefthetime,Lawrencewastheretotouchmysoulandfillmymind.IcanonlybegladIwassofortunatetohavelistenedandlearnedasoftenasIdid.
TenWaysToHaveAHappyHolidaySeason(Really)
byKerryLaBounty
PostedDecember4,2001
Apersonalcoachsaysthatifyoujustremembertensimplethings,there'
snowayyouwon'
thaveanextraordinaryholidayseason.
Contributeyourthoughtstotheconversation.
1.Don'
t"
should"
onyourself.
Theholidaysareatimeofyearwhenwethinkitreasonabletoexpectevenmoreofourselvesthanusual.Trytorememberthatnoonecanmakeyouservea12-coursemealto15people--youcanchoosenotto,andbelieveitornot,yourguestswillliveandevenhaveagoodtime.Ifyoudon'
tenjoysendingholidaycards,don'
t.Orsendmeaningfulhandwrittencards