Neither Simon nor Red were in my life several years ago, both have changed my life, and both were surprises, brought to me by generous people who love animals. At first, these two did not get along. Red was close to Rocky, our Appaloosa pony, and Simon mistrusted both of them, tried to drive them both off, attached each of them. Rocky is gone, Red and Simon are often seen together, at the fence, in the pasture. I am uncomfortable using the word friendship to describe a relationship between a dog and a donkey, but there is a connection between these two, it seems both comfortable and professional.

Both are loving creatures, both are healers, both love people and attention, both take their work seriously, the one in protecting his herd, the other in working with his sheep. Simon was brought to me by an animal control officer named Jessica Bartlett, Red was give me by a breeder and shepherd named Dr. Karen Thompson.

In a sense, both came to me through my books. Jessica knew I had two donkeys and so did the New York State Police who helped her  take Simon off of the farm where he lay near death and and Dr. Thompson had read about my hospice work with Izzy, she wanted that kind of a life for Red.

Life is so curious, I often write about the right way to get an animal, to be careful, thoughtful, knowledgeable and here came two remarkable animals out of the blue. Simon is a rock star, people drive for hours to our Open Houses to meet him, hug him, give him carrots. Red is becoming even more famous, he is a therapy dog now as well as a sheepdog and is living the life Karen wanted for him. He has so many friends and admirers everywhere, and his generous and trusting soul is eager to greet all of them.

Both are wondrous symbols of life, of chance, of generosity, and of openness. Simon opened me up in a way no animal had, and he paved the way for Red, who is continuing that work. Simon is my next book, out next year, Red figures prominently in that story, and I have no doubt his own story with me is just beginning. If you are open to it, animals can take you places you never imagined.