A few years ago I was staying with my two grandsons while Cindy and her husband were gone for a couple of days. I was through with my chores, and Larry, their wonderful dog, and I lay down on the floor for a well-deserved rest. I looked back on my life and wondered why things had turned out as they had. Why had I never won the lottery – I bought one ticket a month so should have had some luck along the way. And I don’t think I had ever grasped the correct dating concept after my divorce such as dating reliable, trustworthy, single men as opposed to unreliable, untrustworthy . . . and sort of married men. And why couldn’t I ever get a tomato plant to grow at my condo? And why did the bicyclist yell at me and give me the finger when he rode in front of my car? And how can I go so quickly from crying at a Hallmark commercial to laughing out loud at “The Office?” I also wondered why everyone in the world hates us so much, but I think we all know the answer to that one! That was enough reminiscing – I had other things to worry about.

I had an appointment coming up with a physician who had operated on me a while back, and I was always a little leery of seeing him. He had told me when he sedated me before the operation that I would still be able to talk to him throughout the surgery. This was not at all reassuring to me at the time as I would remember none of it after the operation. Would he ask for my political affiliation? Would he ask for my pin number? Would he ask about my sex life, and was I getting any, and if not, why not? All those questions were of a big concern to me. As far as the operation part, I had complete confidence in my physician, so that was no problem. I asked him about it later, and he was very noncommittal, so I assumed all my secrets were still intact. But why does he give me a funny look every time I have an appointment with him . . . why the secret little smile. . . what does he know about me that he shouldn’t?

I began to feel better, and Larry and I lay on the floor until it was time to get dinner. I will never forget how much comfort Larry brought me. Dogs are very special.