[nagdu] Happy Holidays from the Echevarria's

[cheryl echevarria]

Love, Peace and Happiness from Nelson, Cheryl, Dina and Maxx (The Best Guide 
Dog in the World) Echevarria

The biggest compliment you can pay me is to recommend my services!

Cheryl Echevarria
http://Echevarriatravel.com
1-866-580-5574
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Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10
Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise and Travel Inc.

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2010 8:19 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Season's greetings


> I like that.  Thanks.
> And Happy Holidays to all.
> Tracy
>
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I just want to wish all of you peace and happiness for this holy holiday
> > season, and to join in your sorrow over the sad news from Colorado.
> >
> > Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories of life with guide dogs, 
> > and
> > for celebrating the wonder of their being with me.
> >
> > Here is a short piece I wrote in 2001 in tribute to writer Annie 
> > Dillard.
> > Hope it warms your hearts for the holidays.
> >
> >
> >
> > Walking The Dog, Communing With God:
> >
> > Celebrating the Liturgy of Everyday Life
> >
> >
> >
> >             At 4:30 a.m., the tap of a wagging tail wakens me from 
> > sleep.
> > Benedicite. I feed my dog, pull on a coat over my pajamas, and head out
> > into
> > the dark of pre-dawn morning to walk in a circle, as I have done for
> > almost
> > thirty years.  My dog leaves his offering, and I get down on my knees to
> > clean up.  Deo gratias.  Thus begins for me a daily office celebrated
> > before
> > dawn, after breakfast, at noon, at suppertime, and before bed.  I feed, 
> > I
> > water, and I walk in a circle with my dog as I have done for my whole
> > adult
> > life, and as countless guide dog handlers throughout the nation do every
> > day.
> >
> >
> >
> > For me, time is shaped by these walks.  Time is out of joint and the day
> > is
> > out of focus when I have no dog to walk.   In my relation to my dog, and
> > to
> > the God who accompanies us on our walks, I am a kind of monk.  My day is
> > divided into the work of feeding and grooming, the discipline of daily
> > obedience exercises, the playtime of ball chasing and fetching, and the
> > hourly round of walking in a circle, where I pray.
> >
> >
> >
> >             I did not know what it was to pray until I learned how to 
> > walk
> > my dog.  I say no words.  I contemplate no psalms and make no petitions.
> > But I am filled with deep peace.  Without willing it, my whole self 
> > opens
> > to
> > the holiness of the moment and gives thanks for the love of other
> > creatures,
> > for bodies that work harmoniously to nourish and cleanse themselves, for
> > earth and sky, and for the fact that I will daily take part in both no
> > matter what else I do in life.  I am joined in relationship to a being
> > other
> > than myself, in community with other humans I will never meet, created 
> > by
> > that Other who is as close to me as I am to my dog. For me, this is
> > religion.
> >
> >
> >
> > Best to all,
> >
> >
> >
> > Elizabeth
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
>
>
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