10 hours ago
10
Luke, a blind Australian shepherd, came to us seven years ago, after we rescued him from a working horse farm. Even though he can’t see, Luke moves around with a fearlessness that is inspiring.
He compensates with his other senses; Luke can smell and hear at an astonishing level, that’s how he notices things. But he also seems to understand that he’s going to run into things and be confused at times. That does not deter him in the slightest.
Luke looks like the classic Australian shepherd – grey, white, brown and black with spots all over. His eyes are getting old and filmy but they have life in them. At home, he knows exactly where everything is and only bumps into things when he gets excited. We try to help by not moving things unnecessarily and by keeping things tidy, so he won’t trip over anything.
Luke is always happy, smiles a lot, and seems to sense when you’re down. He often walks by other dogs without noticing them. Cats can easily outsmart him by sitting still and being quiet. One cat likes to let Luke find him and then the cat moves three feet to the left, and the hunt starts all over again. He tries to herd things and loves getting into the classic shepherd herding position, even though he’s only trying to guide pigeons who land on the lawn.
He likes bones and getting scratched behind the ears. He dislikes loud noises – we live in California and the Fourth of July is his least favourite holiday because of all the fireworks. He’s taught us tolerance and acceptance at a time in our lives when we’re getting older and all the bad news happening in the world has made it harder to care. Luke always cares and reminds us we can too.
Last year, when I had two heart attacks, Luke was distraught the whole time I was hospitalised, and he stuck to me after my return. He’s brought me back to life again, with his unconditional love.
When he is introduced to new people and we mention that he’s blind, people shake their heads in pity. We once tried to explain that he has a full and happy life. Now we just nod and say thank you, all the time knowing the true joy he brings to everyone around him every day.
He’s different but able, and every day he teaches us it’s OK to be the same. You don’t have to be perfect; you just need to keep trying. You are going to bump into stuff in this life, maybe even hit your head but you can’t give up. Luke would not.
