| p>"Sacrifice is a part of life. It is supposed to be. It's | | | | and me - something that is easier for a dog than any |
| not something to regret - it's something to aspire to." | | | | human! |
| This quote comes from a conversation between an | | | | In August of 2002 Dasher retired his leather harness |
| old soldier and his former captain in Mitch Album's | | | | and was lovingly adopted into "the good life" by my |
| book, The Five People You Meet in Heaven. | | | | friends, Tempe and David. Knowing full well their new |
| Now deceased, they meet in "heaven" which, | | | | family member was in his golden years, Tempe and |
| strangely enough, looks identical to the foreign soil on | | | | David still took on Dasher with all the enthusiasm and |
| which they fought together. As the two souls talk, | | | | affection one would shower onto a new puppy. |
| the soldier, who died some 60 years after the war, | | | | Handing over Dasher's leash was one of the hardest |
| learns that his captain sacrificed his own life to save | | | | things I've ever had to do, but my heart and mind |
| those of his men during a battle. The former soldier | | | | were put at ease with the knowledge that Dasher |
| learns from the captain, as well as the four other | | | | was going to a family he loved and who loved him. |
| individuals he meets in heaven, just how much his | | | | Six weeks ago, Tempe and David lost a member of |
| existence affected those around him. | | | | their family when Dasher breathed his last breath. |
| Very few of us will ever experience the ultimate | | | | Those of you who've experienced the death of a |
| sacrifice of giving our lives for another person. Yet, | | | | pet know how traumatic that loss can be. The |
| this part of the book stuck out so much due to | | | | inevitable passing of a pet is always unique and tragic |
| some recent events. | | | | in its own way. |
| We all make sacrifices every day. Some are big, | | | | Dasher's adoptive family made a HUGE sacrifice when |
| some aren't, but each decision means turning away | | | | they welcomed him into their home. After all, how |
| from another possibility. Maybe it is something as | | | | many people really want to take on an animal in its |
| small as giving up a fun activity with friends in order | | | | later years knowing their time with that pet is |
| to fulfill an obligation to a job, or maybe its something | | | | governed by the laws of life expectancy? Practically |
| much, much larger. Perhaps you or someone you | | | | no one. This is why I am so humbled and grateful for |
| know has given up a portion of their life to help care | | | | the sacrifice made by Tempe and David. Friends, I |
| for an aged relative in the twilight of life. Privacy and | | | | cannot tell you how much it meant to me to have |
| freedom are moved to the back burner in order to | | | | Dasher's final years spent under loving care and |
| assist a loved one nearing the end. The trade-off | | | | watchful eyes. That, faithful reader, is one of the |
| comes in the knowledge that someone is benefiting | | | | truest definitions of sacrifice. |
| from that sacrifice. | | | | As I read the story of the captain's voluntary loss of |
| From its inception, The Marcus Engel Newsletter has | | | | life for his men, and especially the lessons he taught |
| been a forum where each month I share a positive | | | | his former soldier, I couldn't help but think of what |
| experience from which everyone can learn. If there's | | | | my friends gave up by adopting an old dog, and |
| a little humor thrown in or you have an "ah-ha!" | | | | what they lost when Dasher died. Yet, what the |
| moment, all the better! This month, for the first time, | | | | captain said next helped ease that pain: |
| I'm not sure that's going to happen. | | | | "Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, |
| If we've been acquainted for less than two years, | | | | you're not losing it, you're just passing it on to |
| you probably never had the pleasure of meeting my | | | | someone else." |
| first Seeing Eye dog, Dasher, other than as a | | | | I'm not sure truer words have ever been spoken. |
| character in my autobiography. | | | | If you are one of the thousands whose life was |
| I want to share a little history on the black lab that | | | | touched by Dasher, thank you. Your acceptance and |
| helped change my life...Dasher and I were paired | | | | love gave him one of the best lives a dog could ever |
| together when I was 19, less than a year and a half | | | | ask for. I'm sorry if this newsletter is a bit of an |
| after losing my sight. Still fumbling through darkness | | | | emotional downer, but I wanted to acknowledge the |
| and insecurity, Dasher helped reclaim more of the life | | | | sacrifices of Tempe and David. Plus, after giving the |
| I had prior to blindness than any other single element | | | | majority of his life to my needs, Dasher deserves a |
| of my recovery. Through our seven years together, | | | | fitting epitaph. In my humble notions of heaven, all |
| Dasher was the introduction to nearly every friend I | | | | things are perfect and all things are possible - including |
| met and every social interaction I had. As I began | | | | the presence of animals. So, to Dasher... Thanks |
| speaking professionally, Dasher shared the platform | | | | buddy, for seven great years. You helped me more |
| and broke down the barriers between the audience | | | | than you'll ever know. |