avatarJames Boylan

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hat she is not through teaching us. And for that, I am truly blessed.</p><p id="5f5c">Since she can not speak in a language that we can hear she shows us all about love through her actions. If she is told “No” about anything, she simply forgives and goes right back to showing love.</p><figure id="e14b"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*6C2peimIf4TyceS2.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p id="32c1">How were we ever able to have Oreo come into our lives? Sunshine, our first Grey, passed at the age of 14 1/2, and over a year had passed. For some reason, I was slowing down physically.</p><p id="de5e">My walks were shorter and becoming non-existent. I was missing interacting with my neighbors and the nature that is in the wetlands all around us.</p><p id="dfbe">I used the shortened version of AA’s 3rd Step and simply said “God, help me.” Then I stood aside and let Him.</p><p id="61ca">The next thing that happened was Oreo! We contacted the Greyhound Adoption group we had used for our first Grey years ago, GEM, and was soon advised that they had exactly what we were looking for.</p><p id="e879">We went to the foster home and discovered that they had 5 dogs. One shook herself free of the pack went right up to Carol and stood up, placing her paws on Carol’s shoulders, looking right at her face.</p><p id="cfe1">So, we did not pick her as much as she picked Carol. The next day we returned, picked Oreo up and she has been in the Boylan household ever since.</p><p id="887a">Our first Greyhound, Sunshine, seemed to gravitate toward me more than Carol, although she loved her totally. I used to say that Sunshine was my dog who loved Carol too.</p><p id="f496">When we got Oreo, from the time she “chose” Carol when we were at the foster home, she was Carol’s dog who loved me too. Carol passed a little over a year ago and Oreo grieved her loss as much as any human could have.</p><p id="9615">Oreo still occasionally stares at the spot where Carol had her chair and cries softly. But, she is very quick to recover and is ready for anything — a walk, a treat, or just s

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ome hugging.</p><p id="ab90">Oreo was a very successful racer and now seems to only know how to do two things, love and be loved. I am working on having the same two traits. She is a great teacher of this because she shows me how and doesn’t try to tell me how.</p><p id="5f0d">As the lyrics from the old song “I’ve Got Rhythm” go, “Who could ask for anything more?”</p><p id="f372">Thank you, God!</p><p id="c16c">If you like this, please share it on Facebook, Twitter, or your other social media.</p><div id="2bf9" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/@spiritualityandrecovery/subscribe"> <div> <div> <h2>Get an email whenever James Boylan publishes.</h2> <div><h3>Get an email whenever James Boylan publishes. By signing up, you will create a Medium account if you don't already have…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*w0Cpr-Deg90r_X8o)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="4944" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/@spiritualityandrecovery/membership"> <div> <div> <h2>Join Medium with my referral link - James Boylan</h2> <div><h3>As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*Lz99p-raK_uq2T5j)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="5b2c"><a href="https://medium.com/@spiritualityandrecovery">Click here to Read more from Spirituality and Recovery</a></p><p id="013c">For more of the spiritual experience, please read another author from DEP, <a href="https://medium.com/@thisisanneliselords">Annelise Lords</a>.</p></article></body>

The Amazing Things My Dog, Oreo, Teaches Me and Anyone Around Her

Each and every day

Oreo photo by author James Boylan

Oreo is a 9-year-old retired racing Greyhound. We adopted her 3 years ago from GEM, Greyhounds of Eastern Michigan. GEM takes Greyhounds from racing tracks when the dog is through with racing and places them in foster homes, prepping for adoption.

(I haven’t had the heart to tell her that she was adopted, though, because I always call her my baby!) She was a very successful racer and is now a very successful teacher of how to live a life of happiness, joy, freedom, and love.

She was given the name Oreo because the top of her head looked like the sweet, popular cookie of the same name. Black with a white, creamy stripe through the center.

How does she now “earn her keep” now that she is no longer a professional athlete and lives with a retiree?” Oreo does not judge, punish, or harbor grudges. She just loves unconditionally.

She approaches everybody and everything exactly the same. “Hi! I’m Oreo. Let’s be friends!” If you have a treat for her, she loves you greatly. If you don’t have a treat, but you smile and/or give her a scratch, she loves you greatly. If you avoid her, she loves you greatly, anyway.

And, if you are loud or aggressive toward her, she loves you anyway from behind me instead of in front of me. The next time, she will still try again to approach you with love.

She has taken our subdivision by storm simply by being Oreo. Whenever she sees a garage door open, she assumes there is someone in there that she loves and who would love to love her back with a treat.

She has taught me so much in the three years that we have had the great fortune to have her in our family. The beautiful thought, though, is that she is not through teaching us. And for that, I am truly blessed.

Since she can not speak in a language that we can hear she shows us all about love through her actions. If she is told “No” about anything, she simply forgives and goes right back to showing love.

How were we ever able to have Oreo come into our lives? Sunshine, our first Grey, passed at the age of 14 1/2, and over a year had passed. For some reason, I was slowing down physically.

My walks were shorter and becoming non-existent. I was missing interacting with my neighbors and the nature that is in the wetlands all around us.

I used the shortened version of AA’s 3rd Step and simply said “God, help me.” Then I stood aside and let Him.

The next thing that happened was Oreo! We contacted the Greyhound Adoption group we had used for our first Grey years ago, GEM, and was soon advised that they had exactly what we were looking for.

We went to the foster home and discovered that they had 5 dogs. One shook herself free of the pack went right up to Carol and stood up, placing her paws on Carol’s shoulders, looking right at her face.

So, we did not pick her as much as she picked Carol. The next day we returned, picked Oreo up and she has been in the Boylan household ever since.

Our first Greyhound, Sunshine, seemed to gravitate toward me more than Carol, although she loved her totally. I used to say that Sunshine was my dog who loved Carol too.

When we got Oreo, from the time she “chose” Carol when we were at the foster home, she was Carol’s dog who loved me too. Carol passed a little over a year ago and Oreo grieved her loss as much as any human could have.

Oreo still occasionally stares at the spot where Carol had her chair and cries softly. But, she is very quick to recover and is ready for anything — a walk, a treat, or just some hugging.

Oreo was a very successful racer and now seems to only know how to do two things, love and be loved. I am working on having the same two traits. She is a great teacher of this because she shows me how and doesn’t try to tell me how.

As the lyrics from the old song “I’ve Got Rhythm” go, “Who could ask for anything more?”

Thank you, God!

If you like this, please share it on Facebook, Twitter, or your other social media.

Click here to Read more from Spirituality and Recovery

For more of the spiritual experience, please read another author from DEP, Annelise Lords.

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