She was thought to be four years old when they found her hiding among boxes on a New Orleans side street. It was just a few days after Hurricane Katrina. Frightened at first, she eventually went along with two rescue workers who offered some soothing words and a little bit to eat. She did not speak that day and now, almost three years later, she remains silent. We call her Stella.
Like many lost and abandoned pets, Stella found herself without a home and a family. We came across her picture on the web: a bright-eyed black lab with “gentle disposition”. She immediately accepted our hospitality and seemed so grateful for little comforts: a bed of her own, the occasional treat, leisurely walks, and a lot of affection. Stella appears to have lived a “sheltered” life in the past. She didn’t understand the idea of fetching a ball or playing tug of war. She apparently had not seen staircases before. It took hours to teach her how to walk down a flight of steps.
Still, despite all her ordeals and all she had lost, Stella remains accepting, patient, loving, and able to enjoy the little things world offers. When at times I feel like life has treated me unfairly, it is Stella who in her silence reminds me of what’s important.
