This past weekend my sister-in-law, Sara, and my 11 year-old niece, Emma, came up from Arizona for a short visit. I hadn’t seen either of them in over 10 years.

The last time I saw Emma she was in diapers. My dog, Jake, who wasn’t used to being around children, learned very quickly that kids create a trail of dropped cookies and other treats, just waiting to be cleaned up. Also, they are at snout height – perfect for licking a face covered in crumbs. So Jake glued himself to Emma’s side.

Emma is now a delightful young girl…and she is an animal lover! It is even possible she could become the first veterinarian in our family. But that’s down the road. If I had to describe her as she is today, I would call her an Old Soul. You sense there is a deep, ancient wisdom within her. If you believe in reincarnation, there is the feeling she’s lived many lives before.

Emma reminds me of Molly, one of my cats. I have always had the sense that Molly is only partly in this world – the rest of her is off in an alternate universe, living a completely different life. There is some of that in Emma….and being around someone like that is wonderful!

I hope my angel Jake took a moment to check in on his two-legged cousin. There’s a lot less crumbs than there used to be, but I suspect she and Jake may fly in the same, starry skies.

Chris