Three simple words that will change the way I live the rest of my life, and hopefully, bring others along with me on my future path. Who was Baxter? Just a cuddly, gregarious 35 pound Wheaten Terrier who brought joy and smiles to everyone that met him. EVERYBODY he saw got the “Wheaten Greeting,” a full, embraced hug where Baxter jumped up off all four legs to say, “Hi, I don’t know you, but I like you.”
There’s the point of this new movement, the website, future articles and posts, the bumper stickers, future tee shirts and who knows what else…an attempt to raise awareness of how Baxter’s love for every stranger he met can serve as a model for the rest of us. Call me a dreamer, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to embrace our similarities and connections, rather than look for our differences? How great not to be labeled instantly, or put in a “box,” but viewed just as another person trying to navigate this thing called “LIFE?”
You see, Baxter didn’t know color, nationality, religion, sexual preference, Democrat or Republican, dog-lover or not…He only saw a living, breathing person that needed to be jumped on and loved! Without judgement, without prejudice, without skepticism.
Call me naïve, call me Quixotic, BUT, I AM CHOOSING TO BE LIKE BAXTER for the rest of my days on this earth. No more labeling, no more passing judgement, no more avoidance of people with different political views than my own. INSTEAD, I’m going to BE LIKE BAXTER and look for the GOOD in EVERYBODY, and focus on what we share in COMMON—The love of animals, the joy of friendship, a hike in the mountains, a wonderful meal, a great book, MUSIC, travel to different cultures, some quiet time alone!
Developing this site helps me deal with the grief of losing a loved companion…it helps me turn sadness into hope and optimism for the future. Let’s stop focusing on all of the “bad stuff” in the news, the attempts by many to divide us as a nation, the efforts to bring us down. I don’t know where this journey will take me, but I feel compelled to try. I hope you will follow me and help in this effort to create more harmony, more acceptance, more love and understanding and encourage others to do the same.
Let’s all BE LIKE BAXTER!