Hank the Husky

Hank the Husky

If ever a creature in this life was wronged it was Hank. I don’t know how old he was, but he had moss growing on his bushy Husky fur from being left out in the rain and snow of brutal New York winters without shelter of any kind. He was fenced in behind a building in Harlem. Alone. Just the concrete yard for a bed and no regular supply of food or water. Then a band of intrepid rescuers changed Hank’s life. Meeting Hank inspired me to write this story…and to see the value of letting go of the bad and sad and grabbing hold with all the joy possible when the good times come.

I meet Hank when volunteering to feed dogs being starved by their owners in New York City. Hank is a Husky living behind a dilapidated building surrounded by a high fence, his fur caked with green mold, his ears eaten down by frostbite and maggots.

Most of the dogs we feed are cowed by life, either crawling on their bellies toward us or growling and pulling at their chains to bite off our hands. Not Hank. When we show up, Hank bounds over like a pup, greeting us with a joyful bark.

Feeding Hank means throwing his food over the high, walled-up fence. One morning, I throw over a really big portion of wet food and then peep through a small slit in the barricade to get a glimpse of Hank. Looking back at me are Hank’s piercing blue eyes. He lets out a happy bark despite the fact the wet food has landed smack in the middle of his head, with odd bits clinging to his chewed-down ears. Hank, ever the optimist, just shakes his head and laps up the food.

Then, Hank’s fortune changes. He gets rescued, and the next time I see Hank he’s got a new family, including a little girl who loves wrapping her arms around his bushy neck and kissing his mangled ears.

It’s easy, in the tough times, to get down and count yourself out, to turn into a nasty snapper or lifeless spirit killing time till time kills you. Hank isn’t having that. He’s got new digs and all the food, water, and love his unflagging optimism can bring. He spends no time letting his past darken his present. Hank just keeps letting out a joyful bark for his happy ending.

My Takeaway from the Story: When you feel like life’s hiking its leg on you, don’t cower or get snappy. Let Hank’s wisdom be your guide. Shake it off and know that good fortune is out there waiting for you. And when that good fortune does come, don’t wallow in your sad past. Let out a joyful bark for your happy ending.

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