In the family, of all the odd behaviors which manifested themselves, the strangest one was exhibited by our Alsatian we knew as Sandy. We did not know Sandy when she was a puppy. Several families before us were on point for her care in her early years. As a mature dog, she came with lots of character, some good, some not so good.
There one behavior which was disturbing, even in a time where this was openly practice, was that Sandy was a racist dog. If you came to the gate to our driveway and home, if you were any race except one, you had a free pass on her watch. You could be any race or color except one, Indian. The problem manifested itself regularly as we lived in the heart of South India. We needed help in giving us instruction on how you could train a dog to accept all individuals, at least when it came to the color of their skin.
As a teenager, it was hard. On the day, after she watched us interact for a time, Sandy relaxed, and the animosity stopped. However, a new day brought a new cycle, and the process started all over again.
There was an exception, people my father deeply cared about. While the first encounter was likely to be rough, Sandy was especially observant when the guests were friends of my father. Her loyalty was primarily to him, and his friends became her friends.
As I think through the lessons Sandy left behind, I am always taken back to what made a difference. As I embrace my primary loyalty, especially with Divinity, the people and values Divinity love become my own.
The psalmist notes Divinity was “feeding both cattle and crows,” (Psalm 147.9) no filters, barriers, or qualifications, just food for all. If Divinity does not draw a line, what is the rationale for my lines? Care, kindness, and love are human rights which come with being one of Divinity’s children. Embracing Divinity’s actions and following is the best gift we can give in return.
