Looking for positive news of people and planet, my lens has scanned far and wide. For the next year, I’ll tune my story-collector close to home, recognizing here too, positive things surface that when shared, demonstrate planetary drift, and sift into people’s days, their ways of understanding.

You can’t get much closer to my keyboard than Petal is now, curled on the mini-couch along my crossed legs. Petal showed up in someone’s barn last winter, an older dog, by all appearances often bred and multiply scarred, with both physical and behavioral signs. The ranch couple gave her a warm bath, clipped overgrown nails, gave food and water and shelter and love, and reached out to a volunteer rescue organization to find her a home. That group posted her photo, looking for anyone looking for her. Eventually,  she landed here.

We respond to stories like this because we recognize the selfhood of our regular companion animals. We understand their hardships, and how often those are created by others like ourselves. The joy of rescued dogs inspires joy in us, and from there, we can do much to share further joy, across the planet. May you all find yours today--and feel free to share!