doggie rescue...

...at the little lake today

minding my own business - snapping shots of geese and ducks - chatting away with them - they were in a rowdy mood given the warm weather - and i think mating season might not be too far off either...

down the path - a gaggle of little kiddo's had gathered with their mom's - to throw bread - interact - giggle - at the geese... they were being successful!

suddenly there was a flurry of wings - a huge rendering of honking from the geese - plus yelling and gasps from all the mothers down the way - i glanced over - to see this black blob on the ice... it was a dog - i didn't remember seeing a dog - who's it was, i had no idea - clearly one of the mom's though... and they were stressed - it was caught up in the remaining ice - even though the temps had been warm - not warm enough to melt off all the ice... so ensued a lot of yelling, clapping and calling of the dog's name - trying to get him to dislodge himself from the ice - but he couldn't do it... he was stuck and stuck good - as the minutes passed, the conversation became one of concern that doggie would begin to freeze - his coat of fur not being thick enough to protect him - and then...

this mom... dressed in nothing more than a pink shirt and yoga pants - went plowing through the ice - cracking it down with her hands - kicking at it with her legs - to get to the dog... the pack of mom's began to cheer her on - she got to said doggie, grabbed his collar and began to push him towards the shore line - the 2 of them making it there successfully within a few minutes time... i was very impressed - not with her ability to actually rescue the dog... any one of us could have done that - it's really nothing to charge through ice that's three quarters of the way melted - on a warm day... no - i'm talking about this random act of kindness she displayed - she was not the owner of the dog - but a friend of the dog's owner - she didn't need to do what she did - putting herself at risk of injury from the cold - or the dog either... what is it that compels some humans to act in such a way - while others only stand on the sidelines watching? clearly she cared enough to take action - desired a positive outcome for the situation at hand...

but you know of what i speak... those extraordinary individuals who go the extra mile - reach out - don't give it a second thought - just do it... they do it for people they know - they do it for strangers... it can be a small act of kindness or a large act - just the other day i stopped to get my oil changed - i didn't have an appointment, merely was "hoping" i might be able to have it done... so happened the guys were on their lunch hour - i said okay and turned to leave when the fellow behind the counter said, "hey, don't go - i'll do it for you" - really? talk about making my day - and i told him that - how blessed i was because of him - he smiled... it's those kinds of people i want in my life - to be surrounded by - the ones who will "do" - just because - those random acts are blessings... are you one of those people? do you do - just because? are you aware of your actions - the implications they have on others - and how they might lead to...

a

happy day.....

p.s. doggie, owner and rescuer were all fine after the excitement