Skout & Me

Hey all!

Well, the team and I just returned to sunny California from our road trip in Oregon coming home with 2 W’s! I think the team played very well against Oregon and Oregon State, making some good progress towards our obvious goal in winning the Pac-10 regular season. We’re playing more up-tempo, aggressive basketball, and if we continue along this road there should be no doubt that we will come out on top!

Now, of course I could spend valuable homework time writing my blog solely about basketball, but I’ve decided to take a different route (haha).

Recently, teammate Sarah Boothe and I enjoyed seeing the movie Marley & Me, and probably surprising to most of you is that I actually didn’t cry! Not to say that I didn’t think it was sad, but I somehow I held back the tears.

The point to this is that it got me thinking about my amazing dogs back at home, especially my 3-legged dog Skout (aka Tripod). Skout lost her leg my sophomore year of high school after being hit by oncoming truck. Although being quite pudgy throughout her mid section these days due to lack of mobility, Skout is happy and healthy.

What’s profound about this experience, however, is witnessing how much perseverance this little animal has. I remember very vividly the day she came home from having her leg amputated. All wrapped up in heavy bandages, and down one leg still could not hold back her joyful spirit as she showed the same excitement when seeing us for the first time as she would’ve had no accident occurred.

Reminiscing about all the challenges I have faced, and still face, throughout my ACL injury, I could not hold a candle to how this little dog fought through such adversity, as to lose an entire leg and still be as happy as ever. I feel that through Skout’s example I have come to learn that happiness goes much deeper than any physical attribute.

Happiness is being around people you love, sharing special moments with those who truly care about you, and relying on that love to literally become the extra leg that carries you through. I certainly miss that dog everyday, sometimes conspiring to steal her away and keep her out here with me .

I’m just grateful for the small, but invaluable life lessons that she has been able to teach me, and I’m also glad that I get to share it with all of you!

GO CARD!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michelle Harrison