He stared at me from our neighbor’s yard.
I threw the garbage in the outside container and turned. “Hello there. Who are you?” I asked softly. The early spring evening had a slight chill and I hadn’t planned to stay outside long.
His eyes and ears perked up, and he cautiously approached. I offered him my hand to sniff. With a deep sigh, he laid his head on my palm and wagged his tail.
Watching this scene unfold from the door, my son, Alex, came outside with food and water. The beautiful and emaciated creature guzzled down this unexpected treat with the desperation of the starved. He gave us a goofy grin and wagged his tail harder. His warm eyes and smile captured our hearts, and we created a safe place for him to stay the night in our home.
The next day, we canvased the neighborhood and were informed that he had been roaming the streets for weeks. The Humane Society did not have any missing dog notices matching his description, and he did not have a chip. It astonished us that no one was actively searching for this well-mannered sweetheart whose kindness and charm deserved to be noticed and cherished.
I was initially reluctant to introduce a fourth dog into our already hectic household. With Beau, a six-year-old Yellow Labrador; Abby, a six-year-old German Shepherd; and Roscoe, a seven-year-old Dachshund, I expected resistance, yet from the moment he stepped through the door, they all welcomed him without the typical territorial fuss. Even Rosie, our nine-year-old cat, gave her approval. My husband and two other children, CJ, 16, and Anna, 11, accepted him with open arms. He blended in with our pack as though he had always been there.
Alex, at nineteen, stepped up and promised he would take care of him. But the way this dog looked at me sealed the deal. It wasn’t just the affectionate Labrador eyes that could melt anyone’s heart; it felt like he was gazing right into my soul, igniting something deep within me that I hadn’t known was there, compelling me to say yes. And so, Charlie became part of the Marker household.
In the days and months that followed, the vet confirmed Charlie was a one-year-old purebred red fox Labrador Retriever. He gained weight, and his energy surged back with a vengeance. “We need to figure out how to help him burn off this energy,” I declared to my husband as Charlie exploded with unrestrained joy, racing through the house, his tail knocking everything off tables in his frantic excitement to greet Alex coming home from work. His enthusiasm was impossible to ignore.
Each new day, toy, meal, walk, or hike was met with a child's pure, unbridled enthusiasm on Christmas morning. “Oh boy! My favorite!” became his unspoken mantra, and his relentless energy was a whirlwind of joy, sweeping through the room and igniting the same infectious cheer in everyone he encountered.
Alex eventually moved to an apartment where Charlie could not join him. Charlie followed me everywhere, and we bonded through long, daily walks and, eventually, hiking. Charlie thrived outdoors, with the Black Hills becoming his playground. At the dog park, his energy was unmistakable, thundering across the field like a herd of horses as he chased after a ball. People would laugh and remark at his boundless vitality, which lifted the spirits of everyone around him.
Charlie’s presence radiated an undeniable essence that couldn’t be ignored. I wondered what it would be like to live with such pure authenticity and an unwavering love for life.
I am Kelly Marker, a writer, professional speaker, and mental health expert. For years, I recognized the deep need for authentic living and following the heart, yet I struggled to bring this vision to life. Despite my efforts, most approaches I tried were fleeting and failed to create lasting change.
Through Charlie’s transformative influence, I’ve discovered the profound depth of my connection with others, nature, and myself. The changes I’ve made—fully immersing myself in the richness of life, embracing the beauty of everything around me, and living with authenticity and joy—and continue to make—have been nothing short of life-altering.
Charlie and I became steadfast partners in sharing our journey—one of living with relentless passion, decoding the language of the soul, and fearlessly following the true desires of the heart. In November 2013, Charlie’s Wisdom was born, a powerful testament to the inspiration he sparked in me.
Sadly, Charlie is no longer with us, but his approach to living remains a powerful source of encouragement that continues to guide me daily. My new faithful companion, Maggie, brings a different wisdom about living fully and embracing life wholeheartedly. Together, they have shaped an understanding of what it means to live with purpose and joy.
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