Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog & the Woman She Rescued by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher Read Free Book Online Page B

miraculously transformed into this world’s standard of beauty. She’s beautiful to me simply because of who she is. She is showing me how to open my heart and love others in the same way.”
    Laurie nodded in apparent agreement with her own thoughts, and then her eyes focused on my face.
    I lowered my bowl, letting her know she had my full attention.
    True to her tender-hearted nature, Laurie’s eyes began to glisten. A weak laugh escaped her lips. “Funny how all the previous relationships in my life have not been able to teach me what real love is—until I met and really got to know this dog. Love is not something I made happen between Mia and me. It’s been like seeping water, drop by drop, moment by moment. I just fell in love with her. All her imperfections didn’t stop me from loving her. In fact, they are some of the things I have grown to love most about her.”
    Laurie looked away, as if she were picturing Mia, and her expression softened. “I’m embarrassed to admit that I used to think she was ugly. The real ugly wasn’t her—it was me, my attitude.” Laurie sighed. “I look at her now and wonder, ‘Who
couldn’t
love this dog?’ She’s so cute, so sweet, so Mia.”
    She laughed. “Although I must confess, I could do without the terrible breath!”
    Still cupping my hot bowl, I interjected, “Your life, from the outside, seemed so good, so full of love. It’s amazing to me that it took a dog to show you how empty you really were.”
    Laurie wrinkled her nose. “I really thought I knew what love was. What a joke! My version of love was so conditional, so inconsistent.” She paused. “You’re right. It was through this little dog that I began to understand how love connects our hearts. How even through sickness, frustration, expense, and stinky breath, I still love my dog.
    “Humans have so many shallow ideas of love. If things aren’t pretty and perfect, we start looking elsewhere. Dogs don’t do that. They possess a level of loyalty that most people will never fully understand. I sure didn’t. It took a dog to teach me that authentic love, a love that connects hearts—even imperfect hearts—does exist.”
    Laurie’s eyes sparkled.
    “What else?” I asked, wanting to throw more fuel on her already blazing fire.
    She picked up her bowl and, without taking a bite, plunged ahead. “Most of us have experienced love that walks away for something better when the imperfections become unbearable. But love that binds hearts and stands firm, no matter whatcomes, is genuine. The best part is that anyone can find it! Mia showed me this truth because she was unlovable by many people’s standards, including my own shallow ideals, when I first met her. But now that I know her, I love her, authentically and unchangeably.”
    Laurie leaned forward. “Unlike many of my two-legged acquaintances, Mia didn’t demand that I change to fit into her mold of what a real friend should be. She demonstrates that she loves me just as I am, faults and all. No matter how badly I fail her, her love never fails me. She always gives me her very best. There’s nothing I can do to stop her from wanting to be with me. She’s showing me the way of sincere love. I think my new challenge is to follow her example.”
    Love is a bridge that stands firm through difficulties and connects one heart directly to another, not because of how it looks, but because of what it is
.
    I picked up my Mason jar of water and tipped it in Laurie’s direction in a redneck toast. “To lessons of love!”
    Laurie smiled and lifted her jar to join mine. “Hear, hear!” She laughed and celebrated the moment with me by chugging a mouthful of water, then lowered her jar. “Plain and simple, my littledog has consistently demonstrated how love is a bridge that stands firm through difficulties and connects one heart directly to another, not because of how it looks, but because of what it is.”

M ia was not only thin, she was also sick.