∴ Blackbird’s Bodhi

We brought home a new friend today.

There’s so much to say about this little guy. There are so many adventures ahead. As I’m fond of telling our dogs, I’ll always have him, for the rest of his life. So there will be many more posts of his story.

His mama’s name is Blackbird Fly, a beautiful, four-year old black Labrador Retriever bred by Jane Kelso. Our time spent with Jane, Chris, Fly and Jane’s other three Labs, our chats, and the general shape of my universe right now led me to name our new friend, a seven-week old yellow Lab the shade of parchment, Blackbird’s Bodhi after his mama. We’ll call him Bodhi for short.

Bodhi (bo-dee) is an old word, sometimes translated as “enlightenment,” but more accurately as “awakening,” from the Pali. It refers, for me, to the unconditional, in-the-moment love and affection I’ve awakened to with our dogs. And, in a couple of more personal ways, a cessation of suffering.

Bodhi’s middle name is, of course, Tiberius (the starship captain or the emperor? Yes.). He’s already earned one long nickname from Kelly: Bodhi T. Bodenheimer. Or Bodhi T. Odenheimer. Thor and the Allfather enter into this, too.

Tonight and for the next week we’ll just let him explore his new home without much interference, talking to him when he’s near, repeating his name, and generally making sure he stays out of trouble. We have a couple of kennels set up for him for when we’re not watching and he’s not snoozing. For the next three nights we’ll transition him from his pack of siblings to ours with a towel rubbed over his mama’s coat and laid upon our bed.

There will be photos, probably more than you want to see, posted here and elsewhere.

There are two dogs in our home again. There is a “white” Lab in our home again. There is a puppy in our home, an innocent little mind growing every day. There is happiness in my mind, and an abundance in my life. There is good fortune shining upon us today.

My world

#Labrador #Retreiver #Bodhi #Jane #Kelso #Blackbird #Fly