The Lawn Ornament

We have a unique lawn ornament. It’s not a pink flamingo, not a reflective gazing ball, not a bathtub full of flowers or an antique farm machine. It’s not a plywood silhouette or a fake life-size deer. It isn’t a decoy duck or a colorful gnome. It isn’t even a cement bunny. No fountain graces our yard. Our lawn ornament is truly unique.

It’s our fifteen-year-old dog, Fuzzy! Over the last few years, he’s become a little more prone to napping. Whether the lawn is covered with snow or with grass, he plops himself out in the middle of the yard and goes to sleep. We have to laugh at him, because he sleeps with a smile on his face. (Yes, dogs do smile!)

Fuzzy doesn’t know he’s getting older. He thinks he’s still a puppy. Some days, like yesterday, he comes barreling across the lawn to greet us, wanting attention—and getting it. Other days, he doesn’t move as well, and we are content with a bow and his walking over to us.

His hearing is all but gone. He doesn’t hear me at all, but I still talk to him. He hears my husband when he yells a low “Hey” that I couldn’t hope to imitate.

But Fuzzy still has a great sense of smell. Just put out some table scraps, and he’ll be there almost before you turn back into the house. (Yes, we spoil him in his old age!)

He can see well, too. We’re thankful for that.

We know our time with our beloved dog is limited, because he just has to give up being a puppy sometime. Nothing on earth, not even an adorable mutt from the pound, can last forever.

For now, we’ll just enjoy our lawn ornament. He’s the one who greets us when we get home, loves us unconditionally, and makes our lives warmer and happier.

Tell me, who else would smile as they grace our lawn?