An Angel Indeed

It was just a few weeks after we had gone through a horrific time with the loss of my baby brother in a car accident two days before his sixteenth birthday. We were struggling, heartbroken, of course, and trying desperately to encourage one another to accept things and heal, but we really didn’t know where to begin.

Then someone in the community mentioned that they knew where some new puppies were, and Mama and I perked up a little bit. The next day we went to see if we could buy a puppy. The man was anxious to find homes for the puppies, but he gave us plenty of time to look them over carefully. We asked all the right questions and made all the right promises, even though he wasn’t listening. Then we decided on a little dark-brown, bearlike puppy.

 As we started to walk away, the man’s wife came out of the house, holding the cutest light-brown pup the color of sand. She had beautiful, shiny amber eyes to match. Mama and I just stood there with our mouths open. I never figured out exactly what drew both of us to that little girl pup at the same time, but I do know that she turned out to be an angel.

 The woman noticed our tears and graciously asked if it would help if she gave us the runt of the litter. When we finally understood that she meant the puppy she was holding, our hearts melted. She placed the wiggly pup in my arms, and Mama carefully returned “Bear” to his box and reached for what would become a best friend to both of us.

 We never saw those people again, but I have been forever grateful for their kindness and the beautiful gift they gave us. Before we even reached home, we had named our little friend Cinnamon.

 I can’t say that our hearts never again missed my little brother, but, oh, the joy that came from taking care of that pup and watching her grow! She never knew she was the runt. God has myriad ways of showing us His love, and in a way, we can return that love by caring for His creatures, and most times, they turn out to be very special.

 Carol Wiggins Gigante