From the Rector…
We have a new fur baby. Charlie is a one-and-a-half-year-old golden retriever. My cousin rehomed him for a time, but it ultimately wasn’t the right fit, so he has come to live with us.
On Sunday afternoon, we made a quick trip to New Orleans to meet my aunt and uncle, who were bringing Charlie from Texas. New Orleans was about the halfway point for both of us, so we met in the parking lot of an Academy Sports for the handoff.
Charlie handled the transition remarkably well. He was a little hesitant when it came time to climb into our truck, but my aunt gently coaxed him inside, and I spent the next two hours stroking his head. By the time we crossed back into Alabama, he had begun to settle in. He curled up on the dog cushions in the back seat and drifted off to sleep.
A life disrupted is rarely an easy one. Disruption brings anxiety and uncertainty because everything that once felt familiar—whether good or bad—is suddenly gone. The routines, rhythms, and relationships we counted on no longer exist in the same way. New patterns must be learned. New trust must be built.
We know this feeling ourselves. We experience it when we move, get married, welcome a new baby, lose a loved one, change jobs, or even introduce a new dog into the family. Disruption changes everyone involved. Charlie’s life has now been upended twice, but the Frazer household is also adjusting to a new reality. And some of us are handling the transition better than others.
Archie seems convinced Charlie is simply a new playmate. Cuthbert has barely been fazed and, as expected, getting along well. Petunia, however, has other ideas. She has long ruled our household with an iron paw. While Cutty and Archie understand the rules, Charlie has yet to learn them, and Petunia is finding it much harder to establish her authority. Steve and I keep assuring her that these things take time, though if we’re honest, we are somewhat concerned. Of course, Charlie has been with us for less than a day, so we’re choosing hope over worry.
Charlie, for his part, seems to be settling in well. He likes his kennel in the kitchen and already loves exploring the backyard. Steve took him for a walk this morning, and he thoroughly enjoyed discovering the neighborhood. He lies down to drink water and eat his dinner. It’s a little odd, but at least he isn’t trying to steal anyone else’s food. Mostly, he just seems to want to belong.
Still, I find myself wondering what must be going through his mind. Does he understand that he has been rehomed yet again? Does he miss my cousin? Texas? His former family? We can’t ask him those questions, but anyone who has ever loved an animal knows they experience far more than instinct alone.
In the creation story, God gives nephesh—a Hebrew word often translated as “living being” or “living soul”—to every creature that has the breath of life both humans and animals. Scripture reminds us that all living creatures share in the gift of God’s breath and bear the dignity of life that comes from the Creator. Perhaps that is why we recognize so much of ourselves in the animals we love. They experience fear and trust, delight and grief, companionship and loneliness. Their lives, like ours, are shaped by love and loss.
Charlie seems to be feeling all of those things right now. He is understandably anxious about his new surroundings, yet he is also overflowing with curiosity and joy. Every new smell, every toy, every walk seems to fill him with delight. When we offer him a calm and reassuring presence, he slowly begins to trust that he is safe.
His nephesh has undoubtedly been wounded by loss. But I also trust that the same God who breathed life into him continues to hold him, guiding him toward healing and new joy. Already, in these first few days, Charlie has brought unexpected joy into our home. I have every reason to believe that, in time, he will discover that he belongs here—and perhaps, in welcoming him, we will discover once again how God patiently welcomes each of us whenever life has left our own souls feeling displaced.
Light and Life,
Candice+