Sorry for so much time between posts again. So much to catch up on.
Sally's Graduation.
Dad Neil and I went to WV for Sally's Graduation. I have been there a few times and met most of the inmates before. I was still surprised though of the impact that Sally has had on everyone she has come into contact with there and everywhere. The ceremony was incredible!! The inmates did a lot of work on the whole thing! Dad and Neil had heard me talk about most of the inmates before but now they could put faces with the stories. Hearing of how Sally had impact on most all of their lives in one way or another, building confidence, building self respect, she truly is an incredible dog. The one problem I had was I felt like I was taking someone of great importance from them. I still feel kind of guilty and can only hope that I can take care of Sally the same way that they did there. One of the inmates got up and read a note to me on Sally's behalf. I am hoping to get a copy of that as it was really incredible!!! The one incident that really caught me was when Allison got up to talk and spoke of her flowers. She compares us to flowers and how we can bloom when we are partnered with a dog. At one time Allison and I were talking about flowers and she asked me what kind of flower I liked. The phone went silent when I told her a black rose. As she told this story at the graduation I heard several gasps as she relayed this. When people hear of the black rose they only think of the bad definition of it, and most have no idea that there is another meaning. The second and less known meaning is of a "Beginning of a new Journey." To me this really fits for me now as the current journey that I am on has been changed majorly by the inclusion of a yellow lab named Sally. I have truly started a new journey.
As we drove from the graduation back to NC, Dad, Neil and I spoke about the ceremony. Dad and Neil were both very impressed with the whole thing. Dad was particularly surprised with how much, and many lives that Sally and the whole paws4people/paws4prisons program has had. Neil also said it caught him off guard too. I was glad that they could see one of the same things that I have been able to experience too. Overall it was a good trip.
