2020 Life Logs, Day 300: Day of Reflection
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Weather: Overcast, Clearing in the Afternoon; High 58, Low 44 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, Falmouth, MA

Forty-six years ago today Mark and I were married on Lovers Key at the southern end of Fort Myers Beach just across Big Carlos Pass. So for me, today began as a day of reflection. Then this evening I got a text from Jo telling me that they had to have their dog, Alfie, put down. We all knew that time was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Justin and Jo were married in April of 2007. In December of that year, Mark and I flew home from Australia for my sister’s 50th wedding anniversary and for the birth of our first grandchild, Sam. In late April we went to visit Justin and Jo in New Mexico before flying back to Australia to continue our trek around the world. Justin and Jo had just celebrated their first year of marriage.

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They lived in the dusty little New Mexico town called Cerrillos and they had two dogs, Alfie and Lulu. They had only had Alfie a few months, but by the time we met him, he was already very big. He was a big puppy with abundant energy and a very loving personality. While we were visiting, Justin showed off his training techniques. Sure wish I was as successful as he was at dog training! To this day, when I think of Alfie, I always start singing the Burt Bacharach and Hal David song from the 1966 movie by the same name. I’m copying the words here as food for thought in honor of Alfie.

What’s it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
What’s it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, Alfie
Then I guess it is wise to be cruel
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie
What will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe there’s a heaven above, Alfie
I know there’s something much more,
Something even non-believers can believe in
I believe in love, Alfie
Without true love we just exist, Alfie
Until you find the love you’ve missed you’re nothing, Alfie
When you walk let your heart lead the way
And you’ll find love any day, Alfie . . .
Alfie.