Monday, June 20, 2021

We will get through this

The Rev. Dave DeSalvo

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that the pandemic happened a long, long time ago. People are venturing forth without wearing masks; shops and cafes have opened; churches are going back to in-person worship; and so much is happening so quickly that I have to stop and ask myself, “Did this pandemic really happen? Is it really over?”

The answer, of course, is: Yes, it really did happen; and No, we are not completely out of the woods yet.

This week I heard from a good friend that his faithful companion Olive was sick with an intestinal obstruction. Olive was a puppy that my friend and his family got during the pandemic. She brought joy to their lives. Olive wore a purple collar. Her owner wears a white collar. Together they walked around Portsmouth during the winter and spring months, each teaching and learning the value of obedience and safety during those hard times.

I would see Olive in the parking lot of St. John’s Episcopal Church every Thursday while the Common Table folks served noon meals. Passersby paid attention to Olive, offered her treats, and gave her gentle pats on her back. She grew so fast, and she was very friendly.

Last Thursday, her owner asked me to say a prayer because Olive was not doing well and was scheduled to visit her vet that afternoon. Later, he called to say that Olive had passed away. I can only imagine the sorrow my friend and his wife must feel in losing their faithful companion. They see her collar, her lead, the bed where she slept.

I am not the kind of person to say, “Olive is in a better place,” or “This was God’s plan.” I don’t think God works that way. What I do know is this: Olive was there for her family during a time of intense anxiety and confusion. Olive was there when one of them was sick with Covid-19. Olive was there every day—spirited, playful, innocent. That was her gift. She got them through.