Spread the love1  102      103SharesIt was sometime around 2008 that I first got to know of Rani -a pitch black stray dog that had wandered into our colony. No one knew where she came from, or rather, no one really bothered to find out. Soon, Rani found a place in the heart and home of a lonely widow in the colony, who lived by herself in a sprawling bungalow, protected by Dolly- a watch dog with a five inch wide steel collar. Rani became the lady’s favorite, filling in her empty days with unconditional love. In due course of time she became the darling of the entire colony too. The canine star During the first few encounters with Rani, I was pretty apprehensive and seldom liked her sniffing around me. I would shirk every time she raised a paw, with the tail wagging behind. Over time, the two of us settled into a cozy relationship. She learnt what I did not like, and what I liked too. She would trail behind during my evening walks, and I would in turn reward her with tickles and rubs around her neck and ears. In a year of her arrival, Rani was the favorite of almost all homes in the colony, receiving the same kind of warmth. When a pack of stray dogs wandered into the colony, she barked the entire night keeping them away from ‘her’ colony. This made her a canine hero and the children in the colony gifted a red collar with a bell attached. Rani would sway her neck left and right in a majestic gait just to hear the sound of the bell. Back in time As the years passed by, work and life took me away from the city to other places and Rani became a part of my distant past. Eight years away from the city, her memories began to fade away. For, life sure eats into one’s time, the time one would want to spend reminiscing the days gone by. On a recent trip to the city, I found some time to wander back into my old colony. Ten years had gone by, yet being there felt like going back in time. I stood outside the sprawling bungalow of the widow. All seemed quiet and still, when I felt I heard a whimper. Soon enough it was followed by a bark and the sound of a paw scratching at the metal gate. I opened it and found Rani wagging her tale. She was there again at my feet waiting for those tickles and rubs beneath her ear. Time stood still, despite all things around me having changed. She was just the same. The heartwarming moment transported me to a book. Finding Gobi Finding Gobi is a feel good book about a little pup called Gobi. In the year 2016, a seasoned marathon runner Dion Leonard unexpectedly comes across a little stray dog when he was completing a 155 mile race across the Gobi desert. Across the heat of the desert and a dangerous mountain terrain, Gobi keeps up with Dion step by step. Gobi’s determination inspires Dion over the miles he ran. When Gobi is lost in one leg of the race, Dion is determined to find him back. And there begins a lovely bond between man and dog that sets one’s heart aflutter. An amazing real life story, the book is beautifully written and truly inspirational. It is a brilliant testimony of doggy devotion and perseverance. Do you have a similar canine tale to share? Featured image source: Pixabay Spread the love1  102      103Shares