love

Love letter to a stray dog

January 2, 2019 by Jeff Moriarty Leave a Comment

In late October we stepped in to rescue a stray who had been attacked by a neighbor’s dog. He wore a hiking harness and had clearly been cared for once, but he had no chip and had been living on the streets for a while. He was emaciated, scared, and now injured, but was nothing but love and sweetness.

a stray german shepherd rescued in Phoenix — Iko, the goodest boy

I promised him I would get him taken care of. We got him some food, which he had trouble keeping down, and kept him safe until the Arizona Humane Society could come and pick him up. With his injured (and still bleeding) neck wound I was nervous about taking him anywhere myself. The Humane Society took wonderful care of him, fixed up his wounds, checked him for diseases, and kept him warm and safe.

I also promised him I would find him a loving home. I’ve been calling the Humane Society every few days to get updates since this happened. They named him Iko. They had him on a bite hold for a while, which he came off of with flying colors. He was sweet and gentle, and they were hoping to get him up for adoption once they figured out why he couldn’t keep his food down and they got him fixed.

Sadly, the reason for Iko’s eating problems was that he had megaesophagus, which prevents dogs from swallowing correctly and from keeping food down. It was likely a result of something that happened in his time on the streets, and there was nothing they could do to fix it. He was deemed unadoptable as a result, and put to sleep.

I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my second promise to you, Iko. I would’ve come to play with you one last time if I’d have known. I know they took good care of you there, and you were safe and warm… but I wish I had been able to help you find the long life of love you so wanted to share with someone.

Nobody loved thy neighbor like Mr. Rogers

June 16, 2018 by Jeff Moriarty Leave a Comment

We went to see the Mr. Rogers documentary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?“, last weekend, and ever since I’ve been trying to figure out what to say about it. I cried at least five times and I wasn’t alone. Snuffle-snorts were pretty much happening throughout the whole theater.

It wasn’t just that Mr. Rogers took on Congress when he needed funding, or that he turned right around with that money and made shows to comfort children in the face of war. It wasn’t just that Mr. Rogers quietly and relentlessly showed children that race didn’t matter. Or being scared. Or being different. It wasn’t even that Rogers… a Christian minister… was strong enough to follow his own advice to change his own views on homosexuality and show a dear friend how much he was loved.

It was how cleanly and boldly that single theme ran through this man – Love.

Fred Rogers showed it so purely and tirelessly that he baffled people. Some felt uncomfortable while others made up rumors about him to explain it away. It wasn’t that he was trying to get a reaction out of people. It was that he loved so freely from shame or embarrassment that people didn’t know what to make of it.

Which is really far more of an issue with us than him. This movie is describing the story of a man with sight to the Valley of the Blind.

I was talking about this topic with a friend this morning and wondered if we each made a list of all the people we Loved, then marked off next to each name the ones we had actually clearly and sincerely said “I love you” too, what percentage of the list would be marked off. Half? Less?

Fred Rogers would have aced that test.

A moment for a friend

July 14, 2012 by Jeff Moriarty 14 Comments

Time is a horribly tricky thing. It may seem simple, tick-tocking along, but it’s really a slippery river with an endless number of currents that tug at your life and twist it around.

One day you’re rushed for time, and you find a stray dog. He’s sweet and friendly, so you devote time to finding him a home.

But he’s a pitbull mix. All the rescue shelters with space say the most time they could give him would be two days before putting him down. That’s not enough time for this big-headed dog who will not stop kissing you, so you reluctantly keep him.

You name him Monty. In the blink of an eye this undernourished mutt wins you over with his curiousity, his intelligence, and his determination. He gets into everything with an honest enthusiasm you can’t help but catch, and he quickly learns all the rules of the house for the express purpose of challenging them.

In a flash he has become your dear friend, with his loyalty, tenderness, and energy carrying you through anything the world throws at you. He wins over friend after friend with his antics and, of course, his big wet kisses.

In a twinkling he has become your Buddy, your confidant, your unwavering companion in all manner of mischief and exploration. Always at your side when you need him, always waiting patiently when you’re too busy. When you have time again for him, he has kisses ready to go.

In a heartbeat he has become such a part of your life you can’t recall a time when he wasn’t curled up warm and snoring at your feet. Then you realize that heartbeat was really a decade in the making, and his eyes are getting dim, his joints ache, and he has become very, very tired… but still he kisses you.

And you can’t understand where all the time has gone.

When time finally runs out, a million moments come rushing back to you. Wonderful, goofy, sweet, crazy, touching, and precious beyond words. They remind you that time falls apart when you look backwards at it. It must be viewed from the inside, with each individual moment being cherished for as long as they last.

And when you view these wonderful moments in their totality, you realize what an indescribably lucky person you were to have such a dear friend for so long.

Sometimes friendships only last the briefest of times, sometimes they last a lifetime.

Sometimes both.

The sadness of a “gay wedding”

October 9, 2010 by Jeff Moriarty 3 Comments

This afternoon I will be attending the wedding of a female friend to her female partner. It’s the first time I’ve been to such a ceremony, and it makes me sad that it stands out.

From everything I’ve seen, these two ladies just love the hell out of each other. They are absolutely adorable together, and have a wonderful set of hopes, dreams, pet nicknames, habits, challenges, and plans. They have much more going for them than many other couples I’ve met, married or not. They want to spend their lives together.

So I’m going to get out my fancypants and go celebrate with them. I love this part, and I’m touched they would ask me to be a part of it. But the legality of their union is sadly still a debated issue. The horrible affront of this topic enrages many. This baffles and saddens me beyond any ability I have to articulate.

Why is this a “gay” marriage? Marriage has evolved into a legal institution, but at its heart isn’t marriage an expression of love and dedication between two people? Of what possible relevance is their gender? Nonetheless, these two wonderful people have to have a separate service away from their friends and family to make it “official”, as the most they can do in Arizona is have a celebration.

It’s bullshit. This celebration is much more precious and dear than the paperwork they may achieve at the end of any legal and religious hoops. What they have together, no legal wrangling can take away.

They are two people who love each other, and that should always be enough.