The Reason.

Most things in hindsight happen for a reason. We meet people, end up places, have conversations, notice something and if you stop and think about it it often falls into some neat little place like it was always meant to be there.

I first met Rocky during the summer when I was helping at an animal charity event in a local park. He was at the time being looked after by the RSPCA and was being walked around the park by a guardian. On the day he sported a bright vest and written on it was looking for a home.

He looked so subdued I couldn't help but go over to him during my round of leaflet distribution. He was placid and at the time looked like a fairly small hound. I spoke to his guardians about his history and where he had come from. He was a two year old Staffordshire bull terrier and had been being kept at a kennels literally five minutes down the road from where I was living. Apparently the shelters were full and the kennels is a regular fall back in this situation. A mere skip through the nature reserve to reach this kennels, I couldn't believe it. 

I visited him several more times that day and my heart was melting with increasing speed. Having three house rabbits however, sometimes you have to think practically. How would they react, how would he react, would someone end up as dinner?

I hate being practical a lot of the time, it's no fun, but in this case it was necessary. I happened to speak to my mum that day, who was with my sister. My sister had apparently been cautiously thinking about getting her eldest son a dog for Christmas, which baffled me. My sister is not an animal person, by her own admission and what knocked me for six is when she said she was coming up to meet Rocky at the kennels the next day. Even as we walked down, my sister talked about how they probably wouldn't get Rocky, but wanted to know more about the adoption process.

Well we arrived, my sister, her fiancé and I and once Rocky was out and on a lead, there may as well have only been the two of them. It was like a match made in heaven, he obviously melted her too. My sister works with children, she's a natural and the relationship she had with Rocky was so natural too.

One week later they were visited by the original guardian who checked over their home and talked to them about dog ownership and the adoption process. The next day Rocky moved in! A second chance and a happy new home.

It's like he's been there all along, he fits so well into the family. When I think about the chance encounter in the park and my brief conversations following, I can't help but smile to myself. It was meant to be!

Pastel on watercolour paper.