A Promise

Every time Asherel would walk away to go walk the upcoming agility course, Honeybun would rivet her eyes on her beloved mistress. She perked both ears forward, and remained in that stance of concentrated attention til Asherel returned.

Loyalty is one of the driving forces at Agility trials. Loyalty...and food. With Honeybun, I think food wins out over loyalty in assuring optimal agility runs. But I heard a story yesterday that I hadn't known, a story of such sweet loyalty that it makes me want to cry.

I have volunteered at agility trials and always noticed the loud and exuberant man, John. Everyone in agility in this area knows him, and as far as I can tell everyone likes him. When the handlers' time in walking the course before their class ends, John bellows, "Thank you everyone for coming. Now get off the course and go get your dog!" The booming voice, and happy wisecracks, and competent control of whatever job he has at the trial have always impressed me. I didn't think I could be more impressed, but I was wrong. I was in the stands watching the class before Asherel's class. I was sitting near my friend Danielle, and we were watching as John ran his dog in the Excellent Standard class. He ran it well. I mentioned some funny remark John had belted out in the class before when he was gate steward. Those happy fun comments always help the jittery competitors. It keeps the atmosphere joyful, loose....like it should be at an agility trial. It is easy to start thinking if you miss a jump, the whole world might crack right down the middle. People like John keep it in perspective.

"He seems so nice," I said.
"He is," said Danielle, "Do you know his story?"
"No. Just that he is at every trial we have ever seen and he is always nice and always funny."
"That was his wife's dog he's running," she told me, "His wife died of ovarian cancer last year. Before she died, she asked him that when she was gone, he would keep running her dog in agility."
"Had he ever done agility before that?" I asked.
Danielle shook her head.
I let that settle into my soul. Agility may look easy to those who have never tried it but it is not. Asherel has been training for almost two years now, and she is still only beginning to run with some confidence. And the dog is in Excellent- the highest level. I don't know if he was when John began running him, but anyway about it, it is not easy to just step into the shoes of an experienced handler.

For some of us, agility is a pastime, for some a passion....and for some a promise. 

Honeybun's eyes were now riveted on Asherel who had gone down right after John's class. Her gaze never wavered. She posed like a sphinx, watching. Meanwhile, I saw John checking off names on the gate steward board, making jokes with the handlers and smiling. I suspect I was not the only one watching him. I pray that heaven allows the veil to be lifted back from time to time, and that his wife's gaze was resting on him as well, not wavering, til he returned to her side.

2 Samuel 2:6

⁶ May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.