A Dog, A Feline And A Dove

                     A Dog, A Feline And A Dove
                                  A Christmas Story

    Once upon A time there was a dog and there was a feline, an upright dog and a graceful, sultry feline.  The dog was old and wise.  The feline was bright and very quick on her feet.
    “Ouch! Why'd you smack me in my face like that?  That hurt."
    "Tag you're it old dog, said the feline.  Just try to catch me with your little turtle legs;" The cat darting off.

    The dog was a muddy brown, the feline tastefully black and white.  They loved each other against the world; they loved each forever and a day.  Some say, they were born to love each other. 

    On this December 24th evening, the feline would find a cool spot on the hard wood floor of  the living room, just in front of the smoldering fire place now almost out, right next the throw rug in the middle of the floor.  The dog, now sleep would roll his body all but up inside the rug, only leaving his head and one paw extended.  He would gently rest his paw on the shoulder of the feline lying next to him.  The feline would purr in contentment.  The dog would drool uncontrollably; panting as if it were his last breath.  They loved each other against the world; they loved each forever and a day.  Some say, they were born to love each other.

    Morning would find them stretching and yawning;  the feline on all fours casually raising her back in a "hello world here I am" type of stretch.  The dog rolling over on his back, stomach up, paws reaching north and south; as if to say, "Oh no, it can't be morning already.  Their noses attacked the emptiness in search for food.  Dog and feline had never seen their owners.  They never had the opportunity to personally meet their master face to face.  On occasion they would hear his voice, sometimes in a whisper.  They would smell the aftermath of his presence lingering about the house.  They would see that things were moved about the house as if life were passing through.  Every morning they would find there breakfast, snacks at lunch and dinner in the evening all prepared and waiting.  Set before them upon a huge dinning room table with candles and sterling feeding bowls with stark white linen table cloth and little off-white doilies place settings.  The entire house had an uncommon heritage, an excellence about it unlike any other house.  They never left the house they had no need to all that they wanted and needed was there.  Such a life! 

    From time to time a beautiful white bird would enter the house like a warm summer wind; a delicate picturesque dove would fly about reciting a melodic phrase, "The Masters about.  He is here.  He is here.  He has never left you.  He is here”.  The dog and the feline would franticly run about in search.  The dog would run to the back of the house and then the basemen, the feline starting at the upper-most rear portion of the house working her way back down to the fire place in the living room. 

Once they were face to face, the feline and the dog, the feline said to the dog,           "Something's different." 

         "Was it the breakfast," said the dog franticly scratching behind 
                  his right ear. 
         "No something's within." 
         "Within?" the dog repeated. 
         "He is born." whispered the dove. 
         "I knew it!" said the feline. 

         "Wasn't He born thousands of years ago?" asked the dog.
         "But He holds the span of time in His hand," said the dove. 
         "So time does not exist for Him," said the dog. 
         "And because he is born, so are we in Him."  said the feline.
         "And so  you are," said the dove.
           "And so are we said the dog."
         "And merry Christmas yet another day”, said the feline.
         "And a Merry Christmas to you  said the dog.

         And they loved each other against the world; they loved each forever and a day.  Some say, they were born to love each other.