"The Lump of Knowledge"

As I looked at a baby picture of our precious 7-year-old Mr. Wiggles, I was reminded of a phrase uttered decades ago by our then five-year-old son as he stared at the head of another 'former' canine puppy. Our young son petted the 'dome' on this furry former little pup, referring to this creature's curved head bump as the 'lump of knowledge'. Out of the mouths of babes.

As I stared at another canine picture, eyes and forehead only, I melted at the sight of our baby Mr. Wiggles, our 'pink' 5 month-old as he looked at the camera. The past suddenly came roaring up beside me, another moment to cherish.

When I first heard that insightful phrase, I was stunned. A young child had interpreted the shape of a puppy's dome shaped head as being something possessing knowledge and wisdom. Did our son know something I did not? I was moved to tears. So wise beyond his 'childish' years. This young lad seemed to know, then, that dogs, in particular, had many lessons to teach us and the emotional mind to carry it out. The lump of knowledge was talking to us. ... A recent article on animals, dogs in particular, made reference to this creature as being the most unique creature on the planet. I couldn't agree more. (Cats are special, too.)

Dogs' body language tell us a lot about them. But what comes out of the mouths of young children is something else. Full of wisdom and unfathomable insights, our children tell us much, if we dare to listen. The 'lump' atop our pup's head bore knowledge I had not ever considered! Our young son had, however. Time and time again, we hear stories of dogs' mission to rescue children from dangers such as snakes and other predatory creatures, often, at their own peril. They are indeed a special brand of love and courage.

It was a beautiful sunny morning, years earlier, when I asked the whereabouts of our 9-year-old. I was in the room adjacent to the screened patio doors. “I'm combing pretty thing”, he remarked. I smiled. So gentle and so kind. Our senior girl was one of the loves in our lives, an aging Labrador retriever, white hairs framing her beautiful face near the many benign lumps adorning her body, distorting her profile. ... The love in his voice told me all I needed to know. He had been raised by dogs. They all had been. 

 

Health and engagement with 'family' meant everything to them. Our pets had helped shape their hearts and mind. Kindness knew no bounds. We had to be strong for them. Being the kind of people that could give them the life they deserved was an important component to caring for pets. That meant being the best we could be.

The animal mind is a unique entity bestowing upon our children the kindness, wisdom, empathy, caring and deep abiding love that books cannot engender. The lump of knowledge our young son recognized, atop the head of our young dog, decades ago, has stood the test of time. I understood its meaning. Even today, that moment and many others like it have punctuated the early years of our sons' education with the many pets we have loved and raised. The file grew with the inclusion of an abandoned bunny and a 'left to die' by the side of the road kitten, all with their own unique set of skills. My precious kitty died of old age at 16.

Our young son possessed the wisdom, learned from animals, to know what an adult could not see. Animals speak to us in magical ways. They rule our hearts and lives. The lump of knowledge was the road map to it all!