A Year of Gratitude – April 14, 2024
I was reminded of my gratitude by my phone today. I was looking for a photo I knew that I had taken of a recipe when my phone showed me the photos from this week over the years. I decided to scroll through the collection and found this one of Penny Lane looking back at me.
As soon as I saw those big eyes looking back at me, a smile came across my face. While this photo wasn’t taken today, I saw Penny in this same spot just yesterday. She was in this very spot, glancing over the arm of the couch at me while I walked in the door. The pellet stove was running behind her and sunlight was streaming in the kitchen windows.
This photo was from April 2020, a very different time. It feels like a lifetime ago on so many levels, yet just thinking about it makes it feel closer yet. My, how much has changed since then.
Four years is both a short window of time and forever. Four full years is long enough for so many things to evolve in ways that I could never have imagined back then. Perhaps it is good that I couldn’t.
But this loving look? Well, I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy that every day. What a gift she is, what a treasure her love and goofy nature are to my family. She makes this old farmhouse feel like home.
I’ve been loved by many dogs over the years, but never in the way that Penny loves me. She seems to see me for who I am even when I am having trouble doing that for myself. She also keeps me from taking myself too seriously. She just doesn’t allow it.
A dog’s love and companionship are such a balm for the soul. It takes the sharp edges off the sometimes cruel realities of life. Oh, I am so incredibly grateful for that.
I’m about to settle in on the couch next to Penny Lane. It’s my favorite part of my night, the time when I am with her, book or knitting in hand, letting the day’s cares slip away a bit with each stitch or page.
She’s been snoring for a few hours now. The weather was warm and lovely today which meant that we went for two walks. She’s tired and will sleep well tonight. As she does, I hope that she is content in the knowledge of how much we love her.
This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.