Kisses on the Nose

The only complaint I have about dogs is that they refuse to tell you their story. C'mon, it's not fair. I tell them my story day in and day out. Well, they tell you their good stories with their tails, they just don't tell you when they hurt or what horrible things plagued their prior lives.

I cannot fathom what must have happened to Sophie before she came into rescue. She has been with us since January and we are still working on trust issues. Yes, she's made progress, but as far as adoption potential, she's still a challenge. It will take a person with vision to see her potential. Most people want a dog who fits into their lifestyle quickly.

Each time I take her outside I bend over and kiss her nose. I can't help but wonder how many kisses it will take to heal her past hurts. I wonder if there are enough kisses in the world for that. In all honesty, if our success as a foster home was based only on placements, we'd be somewhat of a failure. After losing Sidney, and then getting Hank with his tumors, and now little Sophie with her issues it's not looking like our streak will change anytime soon. Sometimes it is disheartening.

But, most the time, the satisfaction is in the day-to-day of fostering. It's not for the impatient, it's not for the weak, it's not for the selfish. It is a commitment. With that commitment sometimes you get kisses on the nose, most times you just give them.

At least Sophie gets hers. Maybe that is what my role in her life is meant to be.