Pilgrimage Into Soul

November 30, 2023

My first dog was a female black cocker spaniel named Sparkle. I was five years old when she came to our family. Actually, she was owned by the young couple next door, but they were gone much of the time, so Sparkle wended her way over to our yard and into our hearts. She never returned to their yard. The couple came over one day and said to my dad that Sparkle was obviously ours, so they wanted to officially give her to us.

I was seventeen when Sparkle died. She had been my friend, playmate and, most of all, my confidante for the past twelve years. Our life together consisted of endless explorations in the woods, endless sand crab hunting on the beach and endless talks. She understood everything I told her and made no judgments; she gave only love. In turn, I fed her and was in charge of her grooming, which included removing her many mats and sand spurs. She had the most beautiful eyes that looked into mine and the hair on her forehead made a curl like a waterfall.

When love comes into your life, it is part of who we are. The strength of the ego pales in comparison to the love in our soul. Sparkle’s love was part of my soul. So when she passed away, I internalized her into my being. I left for college, went to grad school and eventually had a family of my own. I even had other cocker spaniels who made their own places in my heart. But Sparkle was always special because she embodied the presence of pure love between a boy and his dog.

In my fifties, I drove to the home in Mobile where I grew up, and asked the owners if I could see the house and yard. Thanks to their hospitality, I ventured into my soul child’s world that afternoon. I stood at the bottom of my childhood backyard under the big oak tree, at the very spot where, on a rainy Sunday night, our family buried the little being who’d come into our lives and loved us so unconditionally.

At that moment, my heart sank into that grave and I felt the intensity of that love again. It was a holy pilgrimage to a sacred spot. I was able to say another good-bye and thanked her for helping to bring me into being.

Inquiry: What Holy Pilgrimage have you taken yourself on?

Dear God,

In reflection, I realized that I was not aware that I was on a pilgrimage until I went to Sparkle’s grave. My heart pulled me there. My soul knew what I needed. You were with us. Amen.

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