This is not a story about divorce or collaborative law or anything even remotely related to legal stuff. This is a story about “chance” – those who need a chance and those who take a chance. Please bear with me as I relate the tale of Jackson and Louis and “chance”.
When we first met Jackson and Louis my wife and I referred to them as Dog 1 and Dog 2.
It was clear that Dog 1 and Dog 2 had seen a rough start in life. Dog 1 and Dog 2 are “show dogs”. By that I mean one day they just “showed up” in the yard. It was a frigid day with the remnants of a nasty ice and snow storm covering the lawn when two pups wandered onto the property. There were workmen on the premises repairing the gutters damaged by the storm. The pups initiated a game of “duck and dodge” as they nipped at the boots and pants of the workers while the men attempted to move their ladders and tools without injuring the canine interlopers.
The developing chaos caught my wife’s attention when she opened the front door to offer bottles of water and Gatorade to the workers. She assumed the pups were escapees from a neighbor’s yard, scooped them up and brought them into the warmth of the house. They collapsed for a nap on the carpet.
After receiving no response to a neighborhood email search for the dogs’ owners, decision time was upon us. Do we keep the pups or do we turn them over to the animal shelter and hope someone adopts them? They were obviously buddies so adopting one would mean adopting two “show dogs”.
We took a long look at our new roommates and knew they had endured a very rough start. In fact, they were a sorry pair. Dog 1 (later known as Jackson) was long ears on one end and a long tail on the other with a very prominent rack of ribs in between. He had a couple of scars on a back leg that might have been the result of a tangle with a barbed wire fence or, perhaps, worse. Dog 2 (later known as Louis) wore a heavy coat of matted hair that somewhat disguised his protruding ribs and a bushy tail of tangled fuzz. Bottom line – they were such a scrawny pair that the odds of adoption were very poor. Thus began the turn of fortune for Jackson, Louis and us.
Drives to the vet became a routine with Jackson seeking comfort in the passenger’s lap while Louis threw up in the rear of the SUV. X-rays, multiple worm medications and various antibiotics led to increased appetites. Escalating appetites resulted in muscle covering the outline of canine ribs. As the days became months, the scrawny pair began to look more like real “show dogs”.
Of course, their exact age remains a mystery but we guess Jackson and Louis are now about 3 years old and they have developed very distinctive personalities. Jackson has become the guardian of the fortress. At 100 pounds he is a formidable figure patrolling the perimeter of his domain barking and wagging a lengthy tail to welcome anyone walking down “his road” adjacent to the property. Louis is the little guy weighing in at 90 pounds. He sits patiently at a central spot in the yard as he watches his buddy offer noisy greetings to passers-by. Thankfully, Louis has ceased to throw up during car trips and passes the travel time by curling up for a nap.
As I write this rambling note, Louis is asleep under my desk while Jackson peers out the front windows hoping to see a neighbor out for a stroll.
So, you ask, “what is the point of this tale”? Simply – it is marvelous when those who need a chance find those who are willing to take a chance.
Or to put in terms of a divorce –
Who needs a chance?
- The kids need a chance for a peaceful relationship with both parents.
- The divorcing parties need a chance to move on with their lives.
What chance is available?
- A chance for a better way to end the marriage – collaborative divorce.
Who can offer that chance?
- Collaborative lawyers –
- They help the parties & kids use their chance to move on with their lives in a positive way.
