We could all learn from Buddy

For those of you who don't know Buddy, I obtained him a year and a half or so ago. He was a Weimeraner Lab cross puppy, too adorable to turn away! Buddy has driven me crazy since day one, he seems to destroy anything he can get a hold of, especially if he knows it cost lots of money. He barks constantly as soon as the sun goes down, as if just to annoy us all. However, we love him because he has such a special spirit to him.

Around lunch time in January, someone (thankfully for their sake I don't know who did it because I'd be serving time right now if I did!) decided to take a shot at Buddy. Literally. I found him limping up my driveway in such a condition I don't want to describe, but I honestly thought he was on his way to the vet clinic to be put to sleep. He had been shot with a hollow point bullet, which took out his back leg and blew a hole in the other side of him about a foot long. By the Grace of God Buddy survived surgery, however he lost his rear leg in the deal. Keep in mind, in October we lost our other dog Oscar whom I found hit by a car. That just about killed me, because my animals are more than family to me. That being said we were just happy that Buddy lived, 3 legged, stitched up and all.

I have given up wondering why someone would do this to him. I have just focused on the attitude of Buddy. He never once saw it as "Oh me, I lost a leg, what am I going to do now..."(as I would have done had it been me!), Buddy within one day of surgery took the attitude of "It's all good, I'm just blessed to have 3 other legs that work just fine!". He was wagging his tail the day after this mess, I mean...how and why would you be happy about anything after what he went through? Buddy plays harder than ever, and what an inspiration it is to watch the 3 legged wonder dash around the back yard with Gracie.

Today was a difficult day for me again, I'm really struggling right now, but I'm trying so hard to take Buddy's attitude of not focusing on the obvious bad in my life that seems to suffocate me at times, I'm trying so hard to take Buddy's attitude it's not what you don't have, it's what you do have and you need to try and make the most of it.