Are you in the mood for a lovely bed-time (or anytime) story? I am. And here it comes. 🙂

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who, with her parents, had been to the local SPCA at least five times in the past month. The volunteer asked “What is it she keeps looking for?”

“Puppy size!” replied the mother

“Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that’s what she’s looking for.”

“We have seen most of them, ‘ the mom said in frustration. Just then, the little girl came walking into the office. “Did you find one?” asked her mom.

“No, not this time,” replied the little girl with sadness in her voice. “Can we come back on the weekend?” The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed and the volunteer said – “You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there’s always a supply.”

The little girl took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. “Don’t worry, I’ll find one this weekend,” she said.

Over the next few days, both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. “It’s this weekend or we’re not looking any more,” Dad finally said in frustration.”

“We don’t want to hear anything more about puppy size, either,” Mom added. Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now, the little girl knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. Tired of the routine, her mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so the animals could be seen during times when visitors weren’t permitted inside.

The little girl walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. One by one she said, “Sorry, but you’re not the one.”

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer. “Mom, this i’s it! I found the right puppy! He’s the one! I know it!” she screamed with joy. “It’s the puppy size!?

:But it’s the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks,” her mom said.

“No, not size… the sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed,” she said.

“Don’t you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!”

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.

“Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,” she said.

Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, “Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!”

And with that, the little girl and her mom completed the paperwork and the three of them left and went home.

The End.

****************************
And now – a suggestion — how about closing your eyes for a moment and thinking about the love that has made, makes, you sigh … perhaps it’s in arms of loved ones, in the caress of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight, the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day, the whisper of a child or beloved pet, snuggling close to you, the warm bath waters at night soaking away the aches and pains so you can rest a bit better at night?

Perhaps those moments are the love-sighs of God.

May we take the time to stop and listen, for we may be surprised at what we hear, for “Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” <Helen Steiner Rice>

May our lives be filled with love-sighs. Lots of them – in unexpected ways. 🙂 June Maffin

****************************

This particular Soulistry blog post is based on “Puppy Size” (author: unknown). Puppy Photo (photographer: unknown)