The Next Chapter Unfolds
“We are all stories in the end.”
~Doctor Who
~Doctor Who
This is the story of the Blue Kong, and how it changed my life.
Half a dozen years ago, I was found by an American Pit Bull Terrier. As I arrived back at my truck after walking one of my Siberian Huskies along a local rail trail, I found what appeared to be an old, ravaged and wounded, pit bull, laying up against my wheel. The invisible sign was on, “Come here, and you will be helped.”
This dog, who came to be known as Gar, took close to a year to fix through the dedicated and combined efforts of my veterinarian and myself. He was only a year old but had the worst mange she had ever seen, was covered with scabs and scars and had multiple infections. Although subjected to constant foot soaks, injections, pills, Gar never resisted, never growled, and remained gentle, loving and kind.
Initially, we gave him a rubber toy shaped like a bowling pin, which he carried non-stop in his massive jaws for close to a year. The second pin never left his mouth and only lasted a few weeks due to the constant chewing.
Then came the “black kong number one” and “number two.” Gar would not move off his couch go outside or go anywhere without that black kong. Always in his mouth, or beside him as he slept.
Gar lives with my son, Will. One day while at the vet, we noticed they had a Blue Kong for sale! We had never seen those before, and I have been told, they are only sold through a vet. Seems, the blue shows up on radiographs. The Blue Kong looked tough enough, so I bought Gar a present.
Here is the crux of the story. That dog had never let his black kong out of his mouth, let alone out of his sight. But, when Will and Gar arrived home that day, Will took the black kong out of Gar’s mouth, and set it on the counter. Then he set the Blue Kong on the floor.
Gar hesitated, took one long look at the black kong, then picked the Blue Kong up, and never looked back.
Such a whomping metaphor for our lives!
Each new chapter is a Blue Kong. Yes, we have enjoyed, savored and loved, never wanting to leave the place where we are so happy.
Life moves on though, and we are presented with the Blue Kong.
Pick it up and enjoy the new flavor. Those memories, loved ones, places, stories that have happened, will never leave us.
But we must move on, and Living means Loss at some point.
If we are willing, the Universe offers us The Blue Kong and a new adventure awaits, where love, joy, inspiration, fun, and friendship will find us in a new way.
We need to be like Gar, put things away on the shelf, when it is time, and pick up the new
