It was 8 years ago today, March 4, 2001. I consider today his birthday. I consider the day he became Free. This is the story of that day…
9 days prior, my beloved Coda girl died in my arms. I was in such grief, I couldn’t go home. I stayed at friends’ houses. I couldn’t bear smelling her, not seeing her, not touching her. I couldn’t bear any of it. I had gone back to work and was dropping off Sylvia and Charlie. They lived in a not so great part of Oakland. I jumped in my truck and something deep inside me told me to look over at the house across the street. It was so clear to me to do this. The house was a wreck, old and decrepid and beyond it there was a yard with a dog chained up to the fence.
I don’t know how to explain this other than God was on the street with me. I got out of the truck and walked onto the property into the backyard, to this dog. What I came to was the most horrible case of neglect I had ever seen in all my years of dog rescue. This poor wretched soul was skin and bones, jutting out everywhere. The chain around his neck had rubbed his skin raw. There was no food, no water, and no shelter anywhere for him. I did not need to think or ponder anything, again- God gave me Pure Action. I undid the chain and picked up this Rottweiler. I carried him to my truck and at the same time, a neighbor came out hurriedly. I jumped in the truck with the dog and sped away.
I had not been home in 9 days. Pure Action brought me home. This boy needed tending to. He needed a warm place to eat and rest and know me. I drove right home and welcomed him.
He ate 9 bowls of food in 3 hours. I DO NOT recommend this. This was my mistake. He could not get enough sustenance. He was ravenous. He slept fully through the night on a thick bed of blankets.
I awoke to being back in my home with a soul that needed me, so desperately. I had no more time to mourn Coda. I only had time to give to this poor boy. He needed immediate vet care and my care to stabilize him. The vet said he probably had less than a month to live- he was being starved to death.
On March 4, 2001- I was brought out of my deep grief in a flash. I was given a job. I was needed. In just a few seconds, I felt the immense rush of being a protective mom. I was called to be here for him. I knew instantly that we were meant for each other. I knew that he had things to tell me and teach me.
I named him Benjamin. It was instant intense beautiful love. His bones would heal with me, his mind could rest with me, his heart would open with me. And the gift he gave me is so vast, it almost can’t be named- He gave me the Knowing that We are All One. We are all here to Awaken to Our True Nature- which is Pure Love and Pure Consciousness.