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Reaching out to arrange a gift for someone who serves, I asked if they were okay and like many Canadians, they’d endured horrid hits last year, having suffered losses of several loved ones. Bearing witness to their troubles certainly surmounted mine; a series of hits that concluded with their old dog’s death. At which point I exclaimed, “You don’t have pets now either?”
Suddenly, spirits shifted, and they enthusiastically explained they’d promptly adopted a pair of puppy dogs beginning their lives and in need of a forever home. As I listened to this soul, marooned by the miseries of life, she gushed at the love and affection these young companions provide to offset isolation, and indeed, helped ground her here. Soon afterward, another friend shared photos of their new fur baby as they chose life over darkness after experiencing a death.