This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle.  Are those spots in my eyes? Am I having trouble seeing?  No. I have perfect eyesight…obviously.  It takes perfect eyesight to look in the mirror for so many hours a day.  But those spots in my eyes are there for a reason. Just look at my new friend.  My rescue friend, Piper.

I knew we had a reason to get to that Florida place.  But I could have never imagined that instead of the sunshiney, my life would be lit up by Piper.  Because apparently, Florida had other plans than to be warm.  What is with all of this wind and rain and snow flurries?  It blew in yesterday as strong as Deputy Digby’s breath.  And that deserves a weather report from the National Bad Breath Service.

But as we were wondering if we would ever see the sunshiney again, here came Piper to our campsite.

Now I’ll remember many a day
And many a lonely mile
The echo of a piper’s song
The shadow of a smile

You don’t meet many friends on the road when you move every few days like we do.  But as soon as we pulled into camp, her persons helped us back up the Big Blue Treat Wagon RV and I spotted Piper in all her glory.

At first, she tried to act like she had other things to do like bite us.  But when we ignored her, she decided that she could trust us.  You see, it was hard for her to trust us right away, because a lot of people had let her down in the past until she found her forever family.  Her scars may not be apparent on the outside like her beautiful spots, but Digby and I heard them.  Us rescue dogs always hear the scars talking, even if the persons don’t.  Sometimes, the scars are loud with angry stories.  Sometimes, the scars whisper, but it doesn’t mean that they aren’t just as lasting.  Unlike persons, we have the patience to listen.  And as Piper took a moment to gaze at my handsome, and I saw her spots chasing away the scars, I knew.  Her smile came out, and her sunshiney lit up my sky.

Now, I am not oblivious to the fact that my handsome can move mountains, or in this case, the sand of Pensacola.

But Piper’s spots combined with my brindle stripes were magic.  Pure magic.  The persons talked, but all I could think about was her smile that told me she was happy and safe.  When you have been through something, or many somethings not so happy in your life, the normal days seem so wonderful.  For Piper, her now normal life is more special to her than even meeting me.  And that is special.  Not only was her beauty on the outside inspiring to us, her heart and her smile will be something I will never forget even  though I was only able to be with her for two days.

Because, you see, Piper and her persons are heading out of camp today to drive back home so that they don’t get caught in a storm.  And with Piper’s leaving, she is leaving a shadow that will be over me all day.  Her smile was so bright, that her leaving means an overcast day.  A shadow so big that it covers my heart. And I don’t think about much other than myself.  In truth, I am still thinking about myself, but Piper is an addition.

Scars may be with each one of us in different ways. Sometimes, others see them.  Sometimes, they do not.  Sometimes, one person may see them and acknowledge them, and allow you to heal.  But sometimes, only you will know they are there.  But if Piper can chase away her scars with beautiful Dalmation spots, you can too.  A smile so big can cast a shadow over the past.  We just have to trust in ourself that we can heal.  You can do it if I can.  You can do it if Digby can.  You can do it if Piper can.

I hope that one day I will see Piper again.  Until then, every time I see my shadow, I will try not to think of myself as much, but think of Piper’s smile.  Florida has welcomed us back with cold, harsh weather.  But I will chase it away with my forecast of brighter days ahead.

-Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle

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