The Pawfect bond of love…
Happiness doesn’t always come wrapped up in ornate gift packages adorned with satin ribbons. It could just sneak into our lives in the most unexpected ways. Our bundle of joy came trotting into our world on no less than four feet! It was on his eleventh birthday that my brother decided to bring home a beautiful black female Labrador pup. Being the youngest in the family and tired of being labelled ‘too small’ to do certain things he was quite excited at the prospect of having somebody younger come in. Little did we know that the basket of our memories was going to overflow with some of the most cherished ones.
No sooner did the puppy pave her way into our house, she paved a way into our hearts too. As we were absolute novices at handling a pet, the journey of discovering her with each passing day was absolutely thrilling. Subsequently she was named ‘Misha’ after a cuddly teddy bear with the same name. Misha showed us how words are not indispensable to convey the deepest sentiments and meanings in life. With a simple wag of her tail or a gentle nudge with her damp nose, she could express far more than words can encompass. No wonder she has always had more friends in the neighbourhood than most people we have known. Misha believes in holding out a paw and never pointing a finger!
She is unlike humans in the most obvious ways but some of the differences are so subtle and surprising. Over the years, not missing out on a single day, whenever a member of the family has returned home, she has unwaveringly stood at the front gate to give us the warmest welcome in the world. She does not take for granted, the people who love her the most.
It intrigues me how Misha completely refuses to look at her gorgeous reflection in the mirror. So immune to vanity, she is more interested in watching people around. She does not buy the idea of taking for granted, the very people one loves the most. She simply admires us for what we are and lets us know in every way possible. Her presence is a perpetual reminder to be a better person.
There is hardly an arid moment in Misha’s presence. Her delightful antics are such an antidote to a stressful day. Be it falling asleep every now and then, in a snug corner of the house, chasing the neighbour’s growling cat, bullying mighty cows double her size, digging up an assortment of flowerbeds, frolicking on dry leaves to hear the rustle, sticking her snout out of the car window to let the wind blow on her face or stealthily pawing the front door open to take herself for a walk – the simplest things in her environment can induce such a sense of joy in her.
It’s no less than a miracle that this playful little black puppy who barely fit in my father’s palm when she graced our doorstep eight years ago, virtually occupies a large place in each of our hearts today.