Have you ever met a stranger and knew right away that the meeting was arranged? That this is no accident.  Somehow you know that your purpose for the next few minutes is to be right here talking to this person. You’re not sure if maybe there is a message intended for you or whether the stranger is the intended beneficiary. You just know that this is not a chance meeting.

Well yesterday my dog Molly and I were taking an afternoon walk around the marina grounds, enjoying the January sun. An old pickup truck slowly pulls up beside us and stops. The 80ish year old man inside looks wistfully at Molly and says “You have a great dog there.  She loves you very much.”   I simply reply with my standard “Yeah, She goes everywhere I go”  all the while wondering how could he possibly know?

He tells me that he has a Jack Russell that generally goes everywhere with him but that today he needed some time to himself.  “I buried my wife two days ago. She was sleeping in the bed next to us and we heard her gasped her last breath.  I tried to revive her but it was no use.  She was already in heaven. She’s up there right now having a big time I suspect.” He turns and gazes down the river.

There was a long but somehow comfortable pause in the conversation. He turns and looks me straight in the eye and says “I’ll be there with her very soon.”   He gives me a mournful smile.

Wow!!! How do I reply to that?  I’ll tell you how … I don’t. I just nod and keep listening.

I think I see tears in his eyes but I am not sure until he reaches up with an arthritis ridden hand and gently catches a tear before it runs down his left cheek. I can tell that strength still remains in those hands. He looks over at Molly again and says “See how she looks at you. You can tell she loves you. You know you can learn a lot from her if you just pay attention. She will teach you how to love. She loves you unconditionally you know.”

He gazes down river again. I can tell his focal point is well beyond the horizon. When he turns back again I notice his ball cap. It has I❤️Jesus printed across the bill. He says “I come here often to pray …. Another long pause …… I made mistakes. Especially when I was younger. I can’t be too hard on myself though. I’m only dust of the earth. I’m not perfect but I am forgiven.”

He looks again at Molly and says “Yep, you could learn a lot about love and forgiveness from her.” He puts his truck in gear and thanks me for listening to him. I say Thanks back as he pulls away. When he rounds the corner and disappears from sight I think to myself that this man could teach me a thing or two. At that instance I realize that he just did.