“Evil is knowing the right thing to do and not doing it." ~ James 4:17
A little over a year ago Haley lost
her beloved dog Mazie. She was the
oldest of her 3 rescue dogs; each with their own unique personalities but all
with gentle, loving dispositions. Mazie’s
passing from a sudden illness came swiftly.
She vividly recalled cuddling her devoted pup, imagining her sweet
spirit guided home by angels.
Tonight, a second doorbell ring demanded that she leave her quiet
dinner to answer it. A middle-aged man
stood on the other side of the peephole holding a small bundle.
His sagging shoulders and glistening eyes painted a picture of devastation. As he blinked, tears slipped from his eyelids and onto his cheeks. Words slowly made their way through quivering lips: “I’m so sorry,” he motioned just before his body erupted in tremors.
Haley opened the door. When she invited him in, she quickly understood
the apology.
Carefully wrapped in a soft blanket, the man cradled her
youngest dog Alfie. “I’m so sorry,” he mouthed again, sounds refusing to escape
his mouth this time.
Haley stood frozen while the magnitude of the loss engulfed
her: two fur babies in less than a year.
She felt lost again in the vortex of the moment.
She took Alfie and motioned for the man to sit down. The silence of her own cry was unexpected.
The man sat there, dominated by a profound sadness, fatigue worn
on his face. Gathering his composure, he
explained that the dog chased a deer into the road. Trying to avoid the deer with his car, he
swerved and hit the dog instead. Sobs
punched through again.
Haley too was devastated.
She loved Alfie, but her current sadness came from watching this man
endure the tragedy. He could have very
easily continued on his way, but he didn’t.
The driver pulled over, held the dying dog in a blanket to
preserve his dignity, and carried him to Haley’s front door. His kind gestures consoled her the best a
stranger could, even leaving his information and offering whatever financial remuneration
she wanted.
Yes, he’s the man who hit and killed her Alfie - accidentally.
Yet what he really did was spare Haley
from stumbling upon a horrific scene while searching for the dog. He had many options; options that were far
easier than what he chose. In so doing,
he confirmed her faith in humanity.
The wisest, most loving, and well-rounded people on earth are
likely those who’ve been shattered by heartbreak. Truly, it’s the painstaking journey of
falling apart and coming back together that fills their hearts and minds with a
level of compassion, understanding, and deep-loving wisdom that can’t possibly
be acquired any other way.
Father God, You too know the grief of losing
a son. We ask for Your comfort to
surround those who weep. We pray for the
peace of Your presence reminding us, that we are kept safe in Your heart
forever, whether in life or in death. Amen
