Saved by You

When adopting a new pet, often times the act is seen as 'saving them' from a tormented life, or even from the possibility of death. Yet in actuality, what if it is them that saves you? Or contributes to your life in a way you hadn't realized you were in need of?

That is exactly what happened when I met Calypso, my dearest friend and companion for life.

At the end of November 2019, I had decided that I wanted to foster a dog for a short time. After all, it was a great program to not only help an animal that needed to quarantine from other shelter animals when recovering from sickness, but was essentially a 'rent-a-dog' program. For fostering a dog in my household, I would give attention to and administer the medication the animal needed, and in return the shelter would supply me with everything I needed; a bed, toys, food, and even a crate for the pup.

Thus when the time came to look for a furry friend to foster, I searched the shelter I was planning on fostering from daily, teetering back and forth between if I should really go through with it. I was preparing to go back to Iceland at the end of spring for another season of professional soccer, and in the off chance that I did find a companion that I wanted to adopt, I knew I couldn't logistically do it.

It just so happens that at the end of November I was checking the updated list of fosterable dogs when I noticed a description of a female dog. Though a picture wasn't listed on the website, I saw the breed was a German Sheppard/Akita mix, and I called the shelter to ensure that sure she was still available. When I received the answer I was looking for, I immediately jumped in the car for the 45 minute drive to go see her in person.

When I arrived, the moment to meet this adorable sheltie had come. The vet tech opened the door and a puppy sprang from the hallway and into my arms. Ironically, I had thought that the listing had been for a four year old dog that needed a temporary home, not a four month old puppy. Yet after a greeting like that, how can one not say yes?

I scooped her up in my arms, and immediately said yes. I knew I wasn't just saying 'yes' to watching her until she was deemed better, but a 'yes' to having her as a member of my family- for the rest of her life.

On our way home, we stopped at a park, enjoying the fading light of of the autumn sun. Her name at the shelter had been 'Bells', a holiday theme for the coming Christmas season. I looked at her, saying this foreign name, in which she did not acknowledge or respond to. As we walked along a trail, I began tossing around other names I could call her: Shadow, Hunter, Deacon, Deogy. None seemed to fit her, and appeared forced. I shrugged my shoulders, and we began to walk back towards my rundown 4Runner. As I picked her up in my arms and placed her in the front seat to embark on our hour long drive home, I thought of the most random name- Calypso.

I looked over at her, and said Calypso out loud. She had been sniffing the seat and looking out the window, but upon hearing this name, her head jerked upwards and she looked at me. Calypso it is, I thought.

.

From that moment forward, Calypso (Caly, Ypso, or Pumpkin Pie depending on the day) was my adventure buddy for life. We would embark on trips of epic proportion, driving around the East Coast and exploring different towns, trails, and dog parks.

I never thought that many of my trips or adventures would become scheduled around dog parks or open fields where Calypso could get out of the car, socialize with other dogs, and simply move.

When I left to go back to Iceland this past May once more for my final season of professional soccer, I said goodbye to Calypso as her second dog-mom drove off with her for the summer. This was one of the hardest goodbye of my entire life. Luckily it would only be through the summer, and the two of us would be reunited once more in October when my season was over.

This time, when I returned from Iceland the second time around, my world was quite literally in shambles: I had suffered from a major concussion while playing during my league, was broken up with, had familial problems, plus all of the social/justice problems going on in the world, everything I had known was quite literally falling apart.

When I returned, it was back to what felt like a foreign home that I was a guest in (I still lived with my ex after all), there was one joy that kept me going through it all- Calypso.

Some days were harder than others, to the extent that I truly questioned my life, my purpose, and existence. Was I really a contributing member to society, or would the world continue on without me like a stone covered shore that lost a single pebble to the sea?

It was then I realized that perhaps there wasn't anyone that needed me, but rather a furry someone did. Calypso was by my side through everything, tolerating my incessant crying for months, allowing me to talk to her, lay on her, and be even more needy for attention than herself.

Our hikes and adventures together became even more sacred. For they weren't just an outing anymore, but rather a shared space for the two of us to enjoy this new found freedom- a life of just owner and hound.

So remind me, who saved who in this story?