Hannah's Heartstrings: inspiration

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The canine breeding business is a trying one. Summer is one big marathon of feeding, cleaning, chasing, washing, feeding, cleaning…you get the idea. The puppies make up for it, though, by being irresistibly cute and making great photographic subjects. The people can be incredibly frustrating, especially the ones that want to scoff at the price (which is ridiculously low in this business), or get mad at me because I’ve already sold the only female born (as if I had any control over that!), or try to act like they know more than me about the breed or raising a pup (when even my unprofessional eyes can see that they are clueless). But as with everything, there’s a silver lining…the look on the kids’ faces when they see the pups, or the sound of the man’s voice who says he’s waited 20 years for his own dog makes it all worth it.

I could tell many stories of the people who’ve walked in and out of my life through the puppies. But there’s one couple in particular that will forever stand out in my heart.

They were the first to come see out litter of Beagle pups in mid-July, a friendly, middle-aged couple that I couldn’t help but like. I noticed several distinct things about them. They were extremely affectionate and attentive to the puppies, and appreciative of my time. They were intense, as if they enjoyed every single second of living. And they seemed so in touch with each other, so in love, almost like newlyweds, only on a level a hundred times deeper.

They intrigued me, and I sat contentedly with them as they admired the pups for nearly two hours. During that time, I came to learn their story.

Not even a year before, they had lost their home, almost all of their belongings and their two Beagles in a house fire that occurred when they were out of town. All they had left was a small trailer home, the Lab that was with them, the few pieces of furniture in the trailer and the clothes they were wearing.

During a later visit, when I watched the husband struggle to stand after kneeling to photograph the puppies, I learned that he had been in a car accident a few years before that had severed his leg at the knee. The doctors had been able to reconnect his leg, but it was obvious that there were certain things he could not do without pain.
They ended up choosing two pups, a male and female, and there were several times I could tell the wife was very close to tears.

As I was filling out their papers and explaining the details to them, the wife went to the car to get something. When she was out of earshot, the husband thanked me profusely and began to cry as he told me his wife had MS (multiple sclerosis). His eyes unashamedly filled with tears, and he said something I will never forget. “There are some things that money can’t buy.”
I couldn’t have been happier that not one, but two of my sweet pups were going to such precious people. But I was even happier that I had gotten a chance to know them.

Money can’t buy what I learned from them, their love for each other and for life. It can’t buy the joy and excitement on their faces as they came to pick up their puppies four weeks later. It can’t buy the sincerity and gratitude they showed me when the husband took my hand in both of his and said “You’re an angel”, and when the wife hugged me tightly.

They may not have had many earthly possessions, but that couple, more than anyone I’ve ever known…they had it all.

Once upon a time, there was a girl. This girl was a part of a generation unlike any ever seen before in history. She rose above the normal expectations of the world and chose to live life differently. Her parents protected her and gave her opportunities she never would have had otherwise. Though there were those that would stand in her way and try to discourage her, it was then that she learned perseverance…

Once upon a time, there was a girl who had a friend that hurt her feelings and tried to make her feel inferior. She decided to hate this friend and did so successfully until she realized that her hatred didn’t change anything. It only made her bitter. Here, the girl learned her first lesson in forgiveness…

Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted above all things to have a little sister. She prayed and dreamed for years. Finally, when she had nearly given up all hope, her mother gave birth to an adorable blue-eyed baby girl, and she saw that all the while that she’d been waiting, she’d been learning patience…

Once upon a time, there was a girl whose friend became her unspoken enemy. All too soon and with a heavy heart, the girl realized there was nothing she could do to reconcile the relationship. She mourned the loss, but in her disappointment, she learned the true meaning of loyalty…

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was faced life changing decisions. Two paths were before her. One led to her compromising her beliefs; the other led to her heart being broken and left alone. The choice was the most difficult she’d ever had to make. Yet even in the midst of her hurting, she knew what the right thing to do was. And it was in that decision that she found love in the grace of God and learned a lesson in determination…

Once upon a time, there was a girl who found herself surrounded by dozens of the dearest friends anyone could dream of. They loved her, encouraged her, danced with her, made her smile and laugh, talked with her and cried with her, inspired her and made her life more beautiful in every way imaginable. She felt so immensely blessed by God having allowed her to know them all and cherished every smile, every hug, every sparkling face and every little moment she had with them. With joy overflowing within her, she learned and strived to live the real meaning of friendship and love…

Once upon a time, there was a girl who learned to live, to love, to glorify God, to dream big and to be herself.
How do I know all this? I know because that girl was me.

Copyright 2010 Hannah McMichael

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Hannah's Heartstrings

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Once There Was a Girl Who Learned

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Hannah's Heartstrings

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To be broken

What Money Can't Buy

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Once There Was a Girl Who Learned

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