You are sad now. I will see you again and then your hearts will be full of joy. No one can take your joy from you. – John 16:22

I have fielded several requests recently to add another segment from my ongoing memoir. Not so easy when I’ve had little time for writing, so I blocked off a couple of hours Tuesday afternoon to get the project moving again.

This is the story of how we got our first dog. His name was Mozart, and he was a real mess when he escaped from his sad and abusive former life. One day, with determination and a lot of hope in his heart, he found a way out and followed our children home.

What a great decision that turned out to be! Who knows how often our little dog had stood at the fence, filthy and miserable, listening to the sounds of children going by before, finally, he managed to find his way home.

Hope is a beautiful thing, and I believe it only exists because what is hoped for is real.

I hope we all find the courage to break away from whatever misery or oppression stands between us and the experience of love, the invitation to find our real home.

Check out the story in the video below; just four minutes. Peace – DEREK