Santa Fe folks...

Wayne and Holly showed us around the old city of Santa Fe. Wayne's office is downtown and Holly is very involved in the art community (and Santa Fe is all about pottery, painting, sculpture, woodwork, etc... ) so we got a great introduction. After dinner ( ever had elk? ) we walked around the square and joined (briefly) a Stop the Violence protest march by a group of Tibetan Buddhists carrying lanterns and chanting. Gentle people.

The next day Connie and I went back to the square to visit the Native American craft market. The jewelry and carvings were laid out on blankets under a long porch. While Connie admired their work, I walked the dogs which guarantees plenty of conversation, especially with the kids.

Connie especially enjoyed speaking with a woman selling jewelry named Mattie. When they first spoke, she held our dogs and listened to Connie tell of how they were "healing dogs". They have spent plenty of time with Connie in hospitals, nursing homes and with hospice clients and have always been a joy, being stroked, cuddled, bringing smiles and brief relief to those suffering.

After lunch Connie went back to Mattie to purchase some beautiful turquoise earrings she especially liked and Mattie said," I didn't think you would come back. I wanted to tell you that my back hurts me all the time, but since I held your dogs, it has not hurt. They are powerful healing dogs." Connie shared how healing they had been for us with the loss of our son and Mattie began to cry. She said "My 14 year old son died from a bone tumor on his leg." I will forever have the image in my head of Connie and Mattie on the streets of Santa Fe, crying, hugging little white dogs, speaking a language without words that only mothers who have lost children can understand.

Buddhists, Native Americans, Anglos... we are all the same... children of God.