Happy October, friends!
Fall in my woods is one of my favorite times of the year. Chilly mornings and sunshiny afternoons, the crunch of leaves between my toes, and the smell of something crisp in the air. If I’m lucky, it’s apple crisp, since my hooman has been in baking mode. Yep, I’d say fall is in my top four of all Michigan seasons.
Fall has a way of changing my perspective. With fewer leaves on the trees, I can see farther into the woods. The sunshine reaches deeper, and I can peer into places that were shady all summer. With this new view, I decided to trot down my tree-lined trail to see what else is changing.
As I made my way down the ravine toward the creek, something unusual caught my eye. A long, dark branch appeared to be swaying in the water. I approached carefully and quietly to investigate. With one steady paw, I reached into the water. Suddenly, the branch bolted forward!
SALMON!
I was hot on his tail. He was swimming so fast he launched himself out of the water! I was paralyzed in amazement! I just watched as he wiggled and splashed his way back into the creek. Then he was gone.
Now, my fellow adventurers, I consider myself a pretty brave dog. I patrol these woods daily. I investigate all the suspicious activity, and I keep a watchful eye on the squirrels (who remain deeply uncooperative). So I take my responsibilities in canine surveillance very seriously.
But a FISH that comes flying out of the WATER?! How does a dog prepare for THAT?
For the rest of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The splash. The surprise. That fish, right there at my feet. And me, unable to make a move. What if I’d been a little quicker? A little braver? A missed opportunity is a hard thing for a dog to leave alone. That night, my whiskers twitched in my sleep, and I dreamt of running through the water to catch that salmon.
The next day, I headed back down the trail with determination and a little flutter in my belly. I did not take in the view. Instead, I approached the creek like a ninja. I saw the moving branch and pounced! The salmon lurched away. Just as I was about to chase him, he turned around and started swimming right at me! I was all turned around and confused. Before I knew it, he slipped right out from under me!
I could not believe it. Not AGAIN! I must be the world’s worst fisherdog. I returned the next day to seek my revenge. And the day after that. But I never got another chance to redeem myself. All I had to show for myself was a wet coat and paws full of mud.
Finally, I gave up for the day and turned my tail toward home. The long climb out of the ravine felt a little longer that day. I was wet and cold, and even my tail seemed to droop in disappointment. With every step, I replayed the missed opportunities. Some woodland patrol dog I was.
As I pushed my snout through the screen door to the porch, my hooman greeted me. Usually she has a towel in hand to dry off my muddy paws, but this time she had something different. A bright red, silky blanket? No, it was a cape! And just my size! She held it up to show me, and on the back, I could see a big yellow S. Just like Krypto the SUPERDOG!
Surely there had been a mistake. I am not a super dog. I am a cold, wet, fisher-failure. But my hooman threw it over my shoulders and fastened the cape around my neck. The whole time she was telling me I was handsome and brave and I should be Superdog for Halloween. I was feeling like the dog who had let a salmon slip between his legs, but she saw her favorite superhero.
I could see my reflection in the slider door. I looked at the cape and that big yellow S. Maybe she saw something I was missing. My hooman kept chattering about a parade and seeing all my former classmates. I replayed my many failed fishing attempts and how hard I had tried.
I kept trying.
Perhaps that is what my hooman could see: a little courage beneath my soggy coat. And maybe, through her eyes, I could start to see it, too. I stood a little taller, the cape draped across my lean, muscular flanks. The cape does match my collar…perhaps I could pull this off. Maybe there is a superhero hiding inside of me after all!
My hooman did end up drying me off. She also packed up my leash and some treats (both hooman and canine), and we went to a parade! I got to wear my cape as little hoomans took pictures with me. They said I was nice and fuzzy and they all called me Superdog! That made me feel pretty good inside. And that night when I went to bed, I didn’t dream about lost opportunities but rather about all the super ones that lie ahead.
So friends, as we wrap up salmon season and turn our noses toward turkey, let’s remember to tell those we love how super we think they are. When you notice someone being kind, strong, or brave, let them know. We can’t drape a cape over everyone, but we can help them see the superhero they have inside.
We don’t have to save all of hoomankind to make a difference. Sometimes, a few kind words are just enough to straighten someone’s cape and help them feel brave enough to carry on.
Happy Halloween, friends! I will bark at you when the turkey is ready.
Your friend,
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