Few dogs get to live their natural lives. They are leashed, neutered, confined by laws and culture. They rarely get to make decisions, work regularly. I am fortunate to give Rose her natural life, and she relishes it. It’s the core of my novel, “Rose In A Storm,” seeing her evolve as a decision maker, and a vulnerable soul that rises above herself to take on challenge after challenge. I see her emotional landscape as rich, in an animal, not a human sense. She has evolved. I’ve been with her since she was six months old (here on the farm) and she changes all the time.

I wish more dogs were allowed to move freely in society, and to life their lives. I wish the same for people. I am just learning how to do it myself.