Enough love for both

Meet Otis.

He's new to our household, following last week's departure of my son and his dog to their own place.

Knowing it was a good thing for my son to get back out on his own, I tried not to talk too much about how much I'd miss my granddog and moment-living mentor, Mr. James. But I must have failed this effort, as Rob, his older sister and even my husband, encouraged me to get a dog of my own.

So, I started looking, all the while wondering to myself -- could I love another dog, even one of the same breed as my beloved little granddog, as much? The question lingered.

Having become enamored of Boston Terriers after knowing Mr. James, I sought another Boston, and found him languishing in doggy-foster care through a rescue organization. He's an escape artist (as is Mr. James); his previous owners apparently got tired of retrieving him from the pound, took him to a vet for boarding and never came back for him. So now he's here, microchipped and learning to stay away from the door. Well, sort of -- he's already scooted out twice, corralled by helpful neighbors and returned to his new home.

He and Mr. James look similar, and share several Boston behavior traits. But they're very distinct dogs. Otis is sweet, where Mr. James is vibrant. Otis seeks approval, Mr. James just assumes it. Otis is as in-the-moment as all dogs, but less forcefully than Mr. James. It would never have occurred to me to follow Otis' moment-living example, whereas Mr. James commands it.

And yes, I love them both.

Not unlike my two children, matter of fact, who come from the same gene pool and share some Odell traits, but are two distinct, and very interesting, people, who I love and appreciate for the unique individuals they are.

I won't rename the blog. Mr. James is a one-and-only, and I'll still see him frequently enough that he can remain my mentor. Even in his absence, if I consider WWMJD - What Would Mr. James Do? -- his point of view can guide me.

There'll be something else I can learn from Otis. But there's room for both in my heart.