Seeing Rocky is a gift, an affirmation. Something about him reminds me of acceptance. Of connection. Of loyalty and shared experience. Animals speak to us in so many different ways. If we listen. And hear them. Rocky reinforces my ideas about accepting and respecting animals as they are. When we appear, he comes right over now, struggling with his eyesight to place us, but we always come to the same spot now and he knows to go there and get his apple, and to listen to us for a bit.

I am thankful for him.