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 The Family of Miracle Workers Sally A. Voelske, Hartland, Wisconsin  I have been blessed with a family of three wonderful dogs who taught me many spiritual lessons and helped me through some of my toughest times.
Before my husband and I were married, we adopted a little Maltese puppy we named Puff and a large golden retriever named Rusty. I’d grown up with the idea that nobody wants to listen to me talk about my problems, so I reveal them to only a select few. These dogs became my private listening club. I could release my problems by talking things out with them. Unlike some people, they gave me no judgmental feedback.
I developed a seizure disorder brought on by too much stress. When Rusty was around me at home, he could be in the farther-most corner of the house, but five minutes before I was to have a seizure, he would come to my side to warn me. I know it wasn’t a coincidence because he did this every time. When I woke up from the seizure, Puff would be lying close to comfort me. I believe Puff and Rusty knew I was scared and needed their help. F r o m day one, Rusty and I had an unbelievable bond between us. He was always there helping me through everyday turmoil.
I can understand why golden retrievers work well as dogs for the handicapped. They’re bright and intuitive. Rusty passed on at the age of thirteen, before his sister, Puff. I was with him when he had to be put to sleep. He was always there for me, and I couldn’t and wouldn’t leave him in his final hour. He fell asleep in my arms. This was one of the hardest days of my life. For months, I was horribly upset. Puff was lost without her buddy, so I grieved for her as well. I buried my emotions deep inside of me because I didn’t want to be thought of as an emotional female. And my seizures still happened.
Puff did all she could to comfort me, and I tried to console her. During this sad time, I kept hearing Rusty’s toenails clicking on the linoleum floor. I heard him groan as he used to do when rolling over. My grief was so great. I felt people would think I was strange, so I tried to keep a happy exterior. Puff became my only confidante.
One night, six months from the day Rusty left us, after I’d had a hard time falling asleep, he came to me in a dream. With his eyes bright and tail wagging, Rusty nuzzled my ear as he’d done so many times when he was alive. After that dream, I awoke with a totally different attitude. I knew Rusty was okay and happy to be free of his arthritis and old-age pains. Puff stayed with us for another five years. Finally, old age took her when she was eighteen. Since Puff was our last dog, my husband and I decided that we’d go petless, but after a year I needed a new, uncritical friend with whom I could talk. One day my husband surprised me by bringing home a quarterpound Maltese puppy. We named her Puff II. She was small, sickly, and needed twenty-four-hour care. She went to work with me and slept behind my desk in a plastic bucket.
Every two to three hours, she’d wake up and squeak. I’d warm baby food and spoon-feed her. My feelings of self-worth returned because I again had a friend and a creature to mother.
My little dog was the smallest of the litter, and her body didn’t produce sugar properly for the first year. She’d go into sugar shock and have s eizu res , just as I did. The fact that we both had s e iz u re s made me feel as if we’d been b r o u g h t together to help each other through this devastating disorder. During the period when Puff II had seizures, I cared for her around the clock. I greatly appreciated that the company I worked for allowed me to bring my dog to work with me. The bonds of love, compassion, and understanding between us grew incredibly strong.
Puff II is now a healthy dog. Although I am better able to manage my seizures, Puff II cuddles into my side, just as her predecessor, Puff I, had done, reassuring me as if she understands. Her vigilance demonstrates the spiritual principle that what goes around, comes around.
Puff II has taught me not to be so serious and to realize that life is only a temporary reservation on this planet. She has helped me to enjoy the simplest things. She’s there when I need ears to listen that don’t scrutinize what I’m saying. She has the heart of a Great Dane and a gusto for living. She’s shown me how to leap over problems and leave them behind me. Some people look at me with concern when I express how my dogs have helped me. But I believe that everything and everyone is on this earth to teach me something. My little guardian angel, Puff II, is currently teaching me much.
Meditation
Will your ills today form a circle of compassion for other family members tomorrow?
 Allen and Linda Anderson are pet-experts, keynote speakers, bestselling authors, and founders of the Angel Animals Network. They help people discover and benefit from the miraculous powers of animals.
Dedicated to promoting human-animal companionship, Allen and Linda donate a portion of proceeds from their work to animal rescue organizations and do fundraising activities. www.angelanimals.net. Email: [email protected].
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