Mayday, mayday, mayday!
French, venez m’aider = “come help me” (Etymology dictionary)
Responding is all about compassion/kindness/mercy

So… HEAVENS to “Betsy”,
that you wrote and posted this poem
leading into the very week culminating
in the Full Moon celebration of
WESAK (5/5/12): honoring the birth,
enlightenment, death of the Buddha–
exemplar of COMPASSION/kindness/mercy
incarnate!

Coming to the rescue of a puppy in distress?
What more poignant a symbol of living out such virtue?
Then, witnessing unconditional love
in return (of one little being sharing itself fully,
touching your hearts to the core).

No mistake that the name
‘Dog’ is the name of God written in reverse.

This poem, how thematic…Re-MIND-full*…
and synchronous –
a contemplation, for all.

So, whether you knew it or not, you
just ‘channeled’ the Buddha, Bob.

There is an ancient tale that Buddha appeared
as a hungry dog to teach lessons in
compassion (and in modern times, online there is a statue
of a ‘Buddha Dog’ in meditational
repose…no kidding–google it to see the image
couldn’t cut n’paste it here–the one I saw even looks like a
beagle)!

There is also an ancient koan, ‘Does a dog have
Buddha nature?’
How about asking ourselves: ‘Do I as human, have
Buddha nature?’,

Seems Betsy and Bob give us some answers here….

Thus, in this spirit,
I salute your poem…and you:
Happy (belated) Birthday), Bob… as you
begin your 63rd ‘walk’ on this good
earth, may it be a gracious and graceful
one for you and yours…

*and oh yes…re-minding me!