Lost & Found; Karma Revisited

The missing puppy has been found. After five agonizing days of wondering where he was and how he was being treated, a colleague alerted me that he thought he saw my dog on the grounds of Bayan Palace (for my U.S. readers, the palace is a compound used by the Government for visitors, like Blair house, and is also the site for some security elements). We dashed out of the office and spent 30 minutes walking and cruising the perimeter of the palace while I yelled at the top of my voice, "Kamir, come here bubble!" I asked the gardeners if they had seen a dog and had another colleague call the palace guards to see if they had seen a dog and to seek permission for me to search the grounds. And then, suddenly, he appeared at the fence. He was dirty, thirsty, and stinky, but otherwise in good condition. I still can't figure out how he got onto the grounds and find it interesting that of all the places he could have gone, he went to a royal abode. All of us -- my mother, myself, the wanderer, and the two other dogs -- finally got a good night's sleep. I'm deeply grateful to all my co-workers who began searching for him the minute they heard he was missing, and especially appreciative of good friends who gave up their weekends to console me and help me look for my beloved beast. The International Veterinary Hospital was also supportive as were the volunteers from PAWS who had lots of good ideas on where to look and who made follow-up phone calls. While part of me hoped to find Kamir at the Friday Market, I am greatly relieved that he was not there. While most of the dogs and cats I saw there appeared to be well fed and relatively healthy, it was heart-breaking to see so many beautiful animals tied to poles by short tethers, startled by bratty kids shooting off firecrackers, and menaced by even brattier kids who found it amusing to yell at and scare the dogs while their parents watched in indifference. I'd like nothing better than to put a permanent end to the sale of domestic animals this way. Some of the puppies were too young to have been away from their mothers and it sickened me to see some of the dogs transported in the trunks of cars. We need to prove our humanity by better treating our animals. Related to the recovery of my four-legged friend is revisiting the Karma issue. Previously I pondered the issue and its affect on relationships. Once again, I'm thinking about Karma, but in a new way. Many of my friends here told me they were convinced Kamir would return safely because I'm a nice person and my behavior would be rewarded. While it's a great thing to hear, I have a lot of deep, dark thoughts and questioned whether I would be favorably rewarded. I guess I was, because Kamir is back. But also, yesterday, the date of his return, I wore a ring that my father used to wear on his pinky finger. (It fits my middle finger.) When I put it on yesterday, I told my mother I was wearing it because it always brought me luck. And voila, Kamir appeared. So was it fate, intervention from my father, or some other mysterious force? I don't know and I don't think I'll dwell on it. I'll just be thankful for his safe return, the generous help and support of so many, and the fact that Kamir is now afraid to go outside.