TAFFY, A SWEET TREAT
By Betty J. Rapin

"Come see what I got!" said my daughter, Elaine. She was so excited she hung up the phone before I could say anything.

With great anticipation I jumped into my car for the five-minute drive to her home. Thoughts raced through my mind of what gift her husband, Tom, could have given that brought such joy into her life.

A puppy greeted me by racing to the door to see who I was, sniffing my scent - the grandma smell -- to familiarize for future reference. Elaine scooped the puppy up, snuggled her head to her, and said, "Taffy, say hello to Grandma."

Then she handed the furry bundle of sweetness to me.

Taffy was so named because her fur was a color of the candy with light beige and patches of white. A sheltie, Taffy immediately became eye candy for me and a sweetheart of a treat every time I saw her.

Harold Klemp writes in his book, Animals Are Soul Too! "Until we see animals as Soul, we will miss much of what they have to teach us. Most of all, we'll miss the love."

When Taffy died, I cried because I missed a fourteen-year kinship with my grand doggy.  But I was happy for the Soul who came to earth to share in my experiences, teaching me the meaning of unconditional love.

Even though it is three years later, Taffy left behind memories that Elaine and I still enjoy talking about. A favorite of mine is the day my daughter was down in the laundry room.  Surrounded by different piles of sorted laundry, she heard something on the stairs. She looked up to see Taffy coming down the steps, carrying something in her teeth.

It was the blanket from her dog bed.  Taffy came into the center of the piles of sorted clothing, clenching onto her blanket as she surveyed the different piles of colored and white laundry. It appeared as though she was deciding just where this item of clothing properly belonged.

Taffy approached a pile of soiled laundry and dropped her blanket. Turning around, she proudly looked up into Elaine's eyes and gave a short bark as if to say, "Mom, would you wash my dirty blanket?"

Elaine laughed.  "I guess you want the blanket washed."

Taffy replied with a few short, soft barks, a tilt of her head, and a loving lick to Elaine's hand in a gesture of thanks.

I believe that animals may not be human but they are Soul, just like you and I. Animals, like humans, chose the family they were adopted by, including the grandma.  I am appreciative for the many wonderful moments Taffy and I shared -- sweet moments to forever savor in the taste buds of my memory and heart.

BIO:

Betty is a minister and inspirational speaker who teaches adult education. She has been published in newspapers, magazines, and newsletters and is a contributing author to a book of poetry and the books, CONSCIOUS WOMEN/CONSCIOUS CAREERS and CONSCIOUS WOMEN CONSCIOUS MOTHERS.  Betty's first book on dreams will be published early in 2008.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

What grateful memories do you have of an Angel Animal who brought joy to your life -- a maybe a little extra laundry?