Of course, this is now our pup. Because I am an avid baseball fan and a triple-play is one of the most challenging in baseball, my students renamed our new pup Tripp. They figured my life was going to become both challenging, exciting and rewarding. It was so true! Oscar stuck by Tripp like glue, constantly watching over him like a proud Papa, nuzzling him to where he needed to be. Gone was Oscar’s lack of appetite, sadness and those horribly sad night howls.
And Oscar wasn’t the only one who improved. The impact on me was dramatic. My energy level returned (despite the challenges and chaos of a new puppy). Joy for my classroom returned, however, my students still complained about seeing too many pictures of my new family member. Essays were read, tests corrected, assignments returned (some students didn’t appreciate that). The three of us became fixtures at the school’s tennis matches, fast pitch games and track meets. Everyone wanted to meet this three-legged wonder-dog that made my family a threesome.
Tripp’s difficult days are behind him now: Win.
Oscar is now the happy, caring Boxer he’d always been:
Win
.
And, in all its irony, this funny, three-legged puppy caused my life to regain its balance:
Win
.
This was my triple play to a
WIN-WIN-WIN
!
