Zachary and Faith in
Just Lessons of the Heart

I found in life there are some lessons that can be so difficult but none are quite as difficult as lessons of the heart. I wonder if these lessons are harder as a child or when you’re grown…

I remember when we were kids; my mom brought home this little blue feathered bird. I had so much fun with him and oh did he love me. He mimicked certain words and sounds I made. He shared morning cereal at the end of my spoon. He’d sit on my shoulder and whisper sweet tweets in my ear. My sister though, as much as she squealed with excitement, he just didn’t’ take to her. She’d plunk him on her spoon near her cereal bowl and he’d hop off and flutter to mine. She’d sit him on her shoulder and he’d shrilly squawk in her ear, latch his sharp beak onto her ear lobe and cause an all-out wailing from my sister. As much as she wanted him to love her, he just didn’t. It wasn’t funny, but his playing hard-to-get was. Funny too, how this story should be about my sister, Laurel as this painting is one of her son, Zach and her dog, Faith and behind the scenes, her husband, Walter.

Laurel told me about “a boy and his dog… or more accurately, a boy and his dad’s dog… a dog that originally Dad didn’t want, but after some slight hints and a little bit of begging, she was with us. Her name is Faith.”

Apparently, Faith can be “a brat and thick-headed” at times, as Laurel hysterically sums up - “I took Faith for a step sit be a good girl take a step sit today. One day it will be a walk. Sometimes I take her for a get the ball put the stick down stop chewing on the stick don’t jump don’t eat dirt. She especially likes the don’t bark get off the windowsill you aren’t a cat.”

Zach likes to say, “She’s so cute… when she sleeps”.  

From what I've heard, Faith can make a mess, throw a tantrum and be a little hard to handle but at the end of the day, Walter says, “Faith has become an irreplaceable member of the family, giving much needed comfort during a very difficult time in our family and most definitely sharing in our happiness. We have all grown to love and respect her big goofy personality.”

And so, a few lessons of the heart I’ve learned over the years might go something like this. Even if you have a little blue feathered bird on your shoulder, it doesn’t mean its love. There are some things you can choose in life but try as you might, you can’t choose who will love you. Love will find you, often when you’re least expecting it. And ‘its’ name might be Faith.

Just ask the boy’s dad!

©Daune Sheri
June 11, 2021