that morning from the Seeing Eye News Letter. Below,is one that I would
like to share with you all. Take care.
An Angel in Disguise
For those of us who work at The Seeing Eye, the days seem to fly by much too
quickly. In the busy-ness of each day, there's little time to pause and
reflect
on the miraculous events that so frequently occur around us. >From time to
time, though, something happens that suddenly stops everyone in their tracks
and makes us all realize why the work we do is so gratifying and so
life-changing.
In February, we experienced one of those moments as word spread of a dog
named Avery, who got an unexpected second chance, and of the two very
special
men who share a unique bond.
Randy George arrived that month for his first Seeing Eye dog, expecting to
be matched with a German shepherd as he had at his previous dog guide
schools.
Because he decided to keep an open mind and place his trust in those who
have matched hundreds of students and dogs before, George left the school,
not
with a German shepherd, but with a partner that surpassed all his
expectations. The first day he buckled the harness on Avery, he knew about
Avery's past
- that his previous owner was gravely ill and had selflessly requested that
his dog be matched with someone else. How could he not at least take the dog
out for one stroll, he thought. What would it hurt?
After that first walk with Avery, George knew this was the perfect match.
As George's relationship with Avery unfolded during his month at The Seeing
Eye, he began to write a letter to Avery's previous owner. No one could tell
the story better than George, and so, with his permission, we share an
edited version of his letter with you. "Sometimes," as Avery's trainer,
Instructor
Joan Markey, says, "things are just meant to be."
"All God's angels come to us disguised" - James Russell Lowell
When I came to The Seeing Eye, I fully expected to receive a wonderful dog.
After all, it is The Seeing Eye, and haven't they been putting out great
dogs
for nearly 80 years? I arrived with the expectation of going home with a
wonderful young German shepherd, one that was full of life, and ready to be
mine,
and only mine. You can imagine my initial response when my instructor asked
whether I would consider working with a German shepherd/golden retriever
cross.
I hesitated; after all, I had come for a shepherd, and shouldn't I stand my
ground? Not only that, but the dog in question had been in the field already
- for a short amount of time and with a wonderful person. My hesitation grew
even further; not only would I be getting a dog that wasn't exactly what I
wanted, but he would be a bit older than a dog fresh out of training.
And then, I was told his story . how he was placed with an amazing man, one
who took great care of him and loved him like no other. How his owner was
ill
and how his wish was for his wonderful dog to return to The Seeing Eye to be
placed with someone who could use him to his full potential. How could I not
at least take a look at this dog? I owed it to the dog, to the previous
handler, and for some reason, to myself. You see, my father had just passed
away
of the same illness as yours, so was this some sort of serendipitous event
that was supposed to happen?
I met Avery on Feb. 5, and after a trip around the leisure path, I knew I
had found my dog. He was mine instantly, from his first trepidant kisses, to
the proud way he zipped me around the path. All of my pre-conceived notions
about him disappeared. Would he be fast enough? Would he be sharp enough?
Well,
not only was he fast enough, but faster than my previous three dogs! He
looked immaculate, and his work was wonderful.
But the strangest thing occurred when I returned to my room with him. He
came and sat on the floor with me, and it was like he was speaking to me. I
felt
everything that he had been through . his joy at meeting you, and his sorrow
in losing you. His excitement to be out of the kennels again, and his
nervousness
at meeting someone new. Beyond all of this, I felt his desire to be with me,
to work for me, and to make me happy. My emotions raged that day. In a
strange,
but amazingly connected way, I felt my father reaching across from the other
side to say hello. There was no doubt, Avery was the one I had been waiting
for.
This has been a month that each and every dog guide handler should
experience, that would make every visually impaired person be a dog guide
handler if
they could experience it. His work is better than anything I have ever
known, or even heard of, in my nearly 11 years of handling dog guides. >From
the
simplest of country trips, to working him through Manhattan, he continues to
amaze me. Each time I think his work can't possibly get any better, it does.
But again, you already know that - you had the fortune to work with him as
well. Walking through Times Square a day or so ago, I could literally hear
what
he was thinking, while he was thinking it. He didn't have to tug me across
the sidewalk to avoid crowds - I already knew where he was going and what he
was trying to do, and I was right there with him. I could hear him thinking,
"Oh, can't go that way; I better try this side!" I've never cried while
working
any of my dog guides, but that day I unabashedly had tears streaming down my
face in the middle of six million other people (who my guy just so happened
to breeze me through without even brushing me against someone).
As I sit here, with him resting at my feet, anxiously awaiting another
chance to go out, the tears continue to run because I realize that I will be
fortunate
enough to experience this for the next eight years or so. He will travel to
work with me each and every day, making my daily life exponentially easier
and more complete. Most of all, he will continue to be my angel sent from
whatever power is out there, letting me know that my father is doing just
fine.
So, in this way you have become intertwined in my life. You have become
another angel in my life. You recognized how amazing and talented he is, and
you
were selfless enough to trust The Seeing Eye to match him again with someone
who would challenge and love him as you did. It is because of you that I
have
begun to fully be at peace with my father, who left me so unexpectedly.
Thank you for my freedom and my independence, thank you for the incredible
joy
that has come to my life, and for the boy who will challenge and push me to
new levels every day. Thank you for renewing my faith in mankind and in the
human/animal bond. Most of all, thank you for my guardian angel.
There is a quote I found that sums up what I've been trying to say, and I
will close with that. "Insight is better than eyesight when it comes to
seeing
an angel." From The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman.
Editor's Note: It was with immense sadness that we learned the recipient of
this letter lost his battle with cancer on May 3. His wife told us that
Randy
George's words brought him peace in his last weeks. The letter was read at
his funeral and was buried with him.
No comments:
Post a Comment