(This is off my usual topics….bear with me!)

Or otherwise known as, my name is Sweets.

I am a mystery to you.  I will not ever tell you where I began, who I was, who I wanted to be.  I was with others, I was alone.  I was hungry, I was scared.  All I knew was to keep moving.  Trust no one.  Listen.  React.  I remember times of green grass and warm evenings and quiet, but the quiet never lasted.  I listened as I slept.  And that made me very tired.  There was rain, alot of rain, and thunder.  Sometimes the dark sky would flash and make me run, make me shake.  There were others like me, and some of them were kind, for a moment.  But we were all hungry, all scared.  So we would fight, we had to be the strongest, the bravest.  And so we were alone. 

I do not know how long I was that way.  I walked and walked.  Days, weeks, hot, cold, in quiet pastures, behind the trees, over the curb and into the street where the monsters roared on giant wheels moving so fast.  I learned to run from those.  I learned that it was safer to keep moving, never rest. 

Then there were my young.  They came unexpectedly, I did not know what was happening, there was fighting, running and then hunger.   I grew large, so tired, so thirsty, and all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep.  And one day I hid and they came, my young.  But I did not know what to do for them.  Food and water was so hard to find, a treasure, and yet I wanted to give all to them.  I would hide them away and walk quickly on those very hot days, looking for anything to give me strength, and carry some back to them.  They would wimper and cry.  They were hungry and tired and I was scared for them, but scared for myself.  One day I walked so far too find the food I became confused, could not find my way.  It was hours and hours before I caught scent of where I had left them, but they were gone.  No trace of them.  I cried and I cried.  I lost my young.  I lost my way.  I laid down for a long time.  My mind was tired.  My body was broken.  I did not want to walk anymore. 

One afternoon in the hottest of sun I wandered into the shade of a tall pile of bricks.  There were people that looked at me, wondering what I was doing there, where did I come from.  They looked sad for me.  They looked scared of me.  Some tried to send me away, some just walked by.

I laid down on the cool sidewalk.  There was no water, no food.  I was so tired.  One of those monsters with wheels came close, slowly, and stopped.

That was when you looked at me, right into my eyes, and asked me things with your words, with kindness in your voice.  You walked away slowly, looking back at me, and you came back with a small bowl of water, offered it to me.  I walked to you, drank a bit, and came close. Eyes to eyes, brown to brown. And then a simple touch to my neck, my back.  I was so dirty, but I wanted you to touch me more, I felt kindness in that touch, comfort, ease.

You kept speaking to me, telling me I was a sweet girl and it is okay.

I knew you were safe.  In your smell, in your voice.

All I wanted was for you to take me with you, keep me close, make me yours.

You let me crawl into your monster with wheels, dirt, fleas, and all.  And I sat quietly, so still, looking out the window as you began to move, staring at the me I knew I was leaving behing, dreaming of the me I knew I was going to become.

You took me to safety, cleaned me, fed me, gave me a safe place, a warm cushion for my head, and calmness all around me.

You gave me a family, love, and need of nothing.

I am Sweets, I was a dog from the streets, alone with a past unknown, wandering and waiting for you, and now I am tender hearted, safe, content, thankful.  I know where I belong, and that I will do anything to keep you safe, I will give you all my love, and curl up inside your heart.

This is Sweets.  True Story.