Courage

There is a lot written and said about courage.  You know, the challenging the frontier kind of courage, or battlefield stuff, or facing horrible disease.  Yesterday, I realized Murphy is showing me, in subtle ways, what courage really is all about.

If it is true that dogs are 7 years older for every calendar year, Murphy is old by any standard.  She must be in greater pain than she lets me know.  And I know she is in pain.  They way she concentrates going down stairs.  Or barks for help to walk up.  The pause before she tentatively puts a paw in a cold stream.  Her struggle to even get up out of bed.  

But she does it.  She walks into the stream, hops down stairs, pulls her hind legs up, and gets out of bed even if there is no treat waiting for her.  

Every day she goes with me on a walk.  Often it is through a small stand of Douglas fir, down a steep hill, through a cold creek, up and over several logs, and yes, crawling underneath.  Each day I notice her struggle becomes slightly harder.  And each day she still does it.

Courage.  With Murphy it is linked to her heart.  And it connects my heart to hers.

Murphy's day.