The 7 year itch: a tail about beauty

Written By Rebecca McGranahan

After the passing of my little dog, I vowed I’d never get another.

I’d had my dog for 9 years and as far as I was concerned, no other dog could replace her. As time went by, my parents could sense the grandiosity of my loss, and offered to replace my dog with a new one. My mom explained that “this” dog was a thoroughbred unlike my other and that they felt it would live longer and “certainly be more attractive than that mutt you had.” Anyone who’s ever been close to a dog, knows the idea of replacing a furry friend feels like a betrayal, so I declined. About a week later, I saw a ragged little dog in my neighborhood. She looked dirty, hungry and alone. I watched a woman shoo her away from a restaurant where she was looking for food and I knew that I couldn’t let this situation continue. I took her home, cleaned her up and although the next step was taking her to a shelter, I let her spend the night. That night I was looking at pictures of the purebred my parents had sent me, which I’m sure was a great dog, with the paperwork to prove it, then looking at this little dog who was now asleep and peaceful beside me. One was beautiful and healthy, one had mange, fleas and looked like a mutt.. What would “you” do?

It occurred to me that with dogs, as with anything, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It

certainly wasn’t anything physical that caused me to save this little dog. It was her sweet

demeanor and the blatant gratitude she had for the bowl of food I gave her. Her physical beauty was not her best asset when we first met, but instead it was her inner light that forced me to look at her situation and take action.

How many times have we turned down an opportunity to spend time with someone based

on their outer appearance? Perhaps they didn’t live in the right neighborhood or drive the right car, go to the right school, grow up in the same city or have the same life experience? How many times have we passed up a chance to learn something new from someone who “doesn’t” meet our visual qualifications or proper pedigree background? While I am not saying you should let just anyone in your life, I myself have said “no” to making memories with someone outside my norm. We all have. For some of us the shoe has been on the other foot. How many times has someone not accepted us for not being rich, cool or beautiful enough. Maybe a guy in HS who we felt was “out of our league”, or a person we wanted to befriend who made us feel foolish for wanting. I challenge you to look deeper inside someone you meet today or someone new in your life. What does their mind have to offer? What about their different life experiences? What could you learn from this person who is different from yourself? I ask you to give someone a chance today to prove their worth by actions not their beautiful appearance. I am both happy and sad to report that I kept that mangy mutt for 7 years. She, like all my other dogs, was an incredible friend and companion. She guarded my house, won the hearts of all of my friends and took nearly every one of my boyfriends.

As I stated before, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Try looking a little harder at someone

you meet today. It is said people shift in and out of our lives for a reason. What if someone

you've discounted holds a crucial key to your life and its meaning? Today, call that woman from your bridge club who seems lonely. Go out with that man who doesn’t have all the same interests. Give hold the key to something really special.

Rebecca McGranahan

Associate Writer

Certified Holistic Lifestyle Advocate