I want to tell you a story that has touched me deeply and given me a new meaning about the power of the love of a pet, healing, grief, and thrift store shopping.

Shortly after my son died, my husband bought me a Shih Tzu puppy. I was dubious about another dog because the death of my previous Shih Tzu was excruciatingly painful. But that tiny little puppy came into our life and it was love at first sight! She has been my constant companion, my reason to get up each day.

Yesterday, Molly and I went shopping at our favorite thrift store to look for a Seattle Seahawks T-shirt. I am making a quilt of my son's favorite teams using his old T-shirts. I was one short of making all the pieces fit. I knew Kelly wouldn't mind if I bought a shirt, because early on I had given most of his clothing to charity, never thinking I'd one day make him a memory quilt. Molly loves to ride in the cart, all 10 pounds of her, in the child's seat.She observes everyone around us, hoping for a friendly pat on the head or hand to lick. What is it about my sweet little dog that causes frowning strangers to smile and admire her? To begin conversations and tell me about their animals, or very personal information?

A friend once told me that parents in grief can always be recognized through the eyes. The deep sadness is always apparent, even when we smile. While browsing through the racks of T shirts, a lady next to me was giggling and talking out loud about two women who were laughing and pointing at us. She wondered why? Smiling, I told her they weren't used to seeing Beauty Queen's in a store like this. She giggled once again. I mentioned perhaps they were looking at Molly. She sighed and agreed maybe that was it. As she began to stroke Molly's silky long hair, she told me her 21 year old son had been killed by a drunk driver only a few months ago. Tears began to well up in her eyes. He was her only son. She was taking antidepressants that had caused her to gain a lot of weight and she was expressing guilt over it. I told her how sorry I was for her loss, and that I totally understood and related Kelly's story to her. We hugged and I told her she was still in shock and to please be kinder to herself about the weight gain.I urged her to contact GriefNet where she would find many other parents just like herself. We parted friends and I went on with my hunt for a Seahawks shirt.

I had gone a few aisles more when a younger woman with a lovely tan and the most beautiful, white, perfect teeth noticed Molly. She came over to pet her and tell me about her new puppy. She told me about her son who died at age 12 of cancer. He was her only child and her new puppy had filled some of the void in her heart. She talked about the long agonizing months of watching him die. I told her I totally understood her pain that I, too, had lost a son. She teared up. I told her about GriefNet and how those wonderful parents held me up, comforted me and gave me back my sanity. We parted friends and agreed we would watch for one another next time we visited that store.

I eventually found the perfect T shirt for Kelly's quilt. I drove home feeling like something spiritual and very important had just occurred. I thought about life being like a quilt. It is a patchwork of friends. I knew I had been given a gift of love, friendship, and understanding. In those few, brief, minutes my sweet little Molly Moon had temporarily healed our broken hearts.

My dear friend was right, it is something about the eyes.