Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Dog Days

Dog lovers know that when the loss of a dog occurs, it's like losing a member of the family.  While I have had this experience as a child growing up, I never realized how much harder it is when you are the parent.  Today our loyal dog of 11+ years, Annie, went to the Rainbow Bridge.....a place where she can run and play and wait for us to meet her some day.

As I reflect on the impact she had on our lives, I think of the loyalty for which dogs are typically known.  It is a loyalty that has 'automatic-trust' built in.  A loyalty that is unquestioning, unshakeable.  When discipline is given to our dogs, they tend to love us more and depend on us more.  And when we spend time together, it is a bond like none other.  I recall the loyalty of our dog towards our growing children--from putting up with their toddler 'grabs' to protecting them as they run from the front to back yard on a windy spring day.  She had a job to do and she took it VERY seriously.

How do we foster loyalty in our school community?  How can we help others trust in our leadership and decisions to a level of being 'unshakeable?'  Are we showing others that we can be dependable?