Just Another Day in the Life

Today, when I came home from the store, there was a goat in my front yard. Yes, that is what I said… a two horned, split toed, gray, bleating goat, that for some reason decided my boys were its new BFFs and proceeded to follow them everywhere they went. This, of course, was completely distressing to my 3 year old border collie who, while possessing the necessary herding instincts, lacked the benefit of any actual experience. She, therefore, proceeded to take advantage of the opportunity by chasing said living, breathing farm animal round and round the house in an effort, I suppose, to regain some respect for her lineage. While the goat, who clearly was not used to being subject to such base treatment, finally found safe haven on my back porch, nose to the door, pleading for entry (leading me to only speculate as to the goat’s previous place of abode and the habits therein…).

From there, the instinctual help from her ancestors seemed to abandon my worn out, panting border collie. Or perhaps, she simply decided that herding in 90 degree plus weather was just not what it was cracked up to be. Either way, the staring contest commenced between goat and dog and continued until animal control (which consisted of guy down the street coming to put animal in truck and find it a home) arrived to spring the poor goat from a seemingly irresolvable conflict. While my border collie marched into the house with her head held high as if she had just herded South Fork’s entire stock single handedly, I contemplated why this was possibly the best part of my day.

I knew the image of my overweight dog chasing that wide eyed goat around and around my yard would be a source of laughter for me for a long time to come. And of all the gifts in this life, the one I most cherish is the ability to laugh and find the humor. When I can laugh with my boys, I am happy. When I can invoke my husband's laugh, I am blessed. When I can laugh instead of cry, I am saved. And, when I can make others laugh, I am truly the luckiest person in the world.