Posted on 12/16/2004 9:28:26 PM PST by Former Military Chick
BEVERLY HILLS -- Today, I will let other people talk about politics and economics. I am going to talk about something more important: peace.
By total coincidence, my 60th birthday recently fell on Thanksgiving. It is perfectly apt though, because my whole life is about giving thanks, especially for still being alive and hearty at 60, and full of fight. But as I was asked over and over again what really makes me happy in my life now that I am no longer a young hippie, I only had to think for about two seconds.
Yes, of course, I am primarily grateful that I am in America, shining city on a hill, that I have a great wife and son, that I get to live in peace and prosperity. I would have to be insane not to be on my knees with gratitude to the men and women who fight for us, and I am stupendously grateful to them.
But there is someone very close to my heart who brings me the best moments of peace I ever have, and peace is truly God's greatest gift: Brigid, my gorgeous German short-haired pointer.
A word about Brigid. She was an abandoned dog. I got her at the Huntington Beach animal shelter.
She is my latest German short-haired pointer, the fifth one I have had, after owning two Weimaraners. Every one of these dogs is a heavenly gift. To lie next to Brigid for an hour in the afternoon, to have her next to me all night, to wake up to her soulful eyes and incredible joy, that is bliss.
I have worked for two Presidents in the White House, been in dozens of movies, played in one of the best sitcoms of all time, The Wonder Years, won Emmies for my quiz show. I have been married to a glorious wife for almost 40 years and we have a handsome, rugged son. This is all good stuff, even great stuff....But....
None of this gives me the serenity that being next to a sweet, loving big furry dog gives. There is a magical connection between dog and human that offers a glimpse of heaven.
It's Christmas. Time for gifts. You can get the best gift there is -- the gift of peace -- for free at your local animal shelter or pound and at many rescue societies. You have not fully taken advantage of God's gifts if you don't do it. Diamonds are nice and so are clothes and cars. But a loving, sweet dog of your very own, or for your spouse or for your child or parent, that's the best gift there is. That is the gift of love -- warm, unconditional, devoted, peaceful love. There is nothing better.
Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer in Beverly Hills and Malibu.
Ben is a true patriot. Ben loves his country, he loves our troops, he says things that most of us feel, he just puts it on to paper.
Well.........now I know why women wanna take me home and keep me.
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Pajama puppy ping.
Ben must be a true dog lover.
I feel this way with my girls when they are quiet and we are sitting together.
When they are pulling each others ears off it's another situation...
Nah, I bet not even a tenth read. :)
My two ragdolls Anna and Baby provide the same minus the dependency a dog requires.
God Bless Ben Stein and his family (and that includes his dog).
Below is my pound puppy walking the back deck handrail last summer.
My dog was on "death row" in a high-kill animal shelter. She was rescued and put into the Pen Pals program which puts dogs into prison where they share a cell with a prisoner who trains them. (Pen Pals and similar programs are used for the "Cell Dogs" TV show on the Animal Planet cable channel.) After two months of training by the prisoner, we adopted her.
Although the dog has been a rascal on occasion, there hasn't been a day when she hasn't provided great joy to me and my family.
Hope that all reading this thread will consider adopting a pound puppy. At the risk of being flamed, and, if you don't think you have the time or facilities for a dog, I'll ask readers of this to consider adopting a cat from the pound.
I applaud you - it's so hard to find good homes for red X's. :-)
I love Ben Stein.
Thanks for posting this.
The earlier post of this article doesn't show up when one searches for "Christmas" in the title, match all words, order by date.
The reason is that so many articles had "Christmas" in their title that the earlier post is not among the articles displayed by the search. The search results include only articles posted more recently than the earlier post of the Stein article.
Yet when one searches for "Christmas Peace" in the title, match all words, order by date, the earlier post of this does show up.
Sometimes doing a search is somewhat tricky like that, requiring multiple alternate search requests. Other times, even with multiple search requests, it doesn't seem to work quite right. That is not to say that searches shouldn't be conducted.
This is a wonderful column to share.
Ben just put into words what every dog lover knows.
Too often we give "thanks" but forget to thank that which we hold dearest. What a great reminder.
God bless ya Ben
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Yeah, I had a feeling that the web pic host would do that....gotta find a new host. Take my word for it: she's is seriously cute!
She is so cute. What expressive eyes. She looks a pip.
BillF, Was her rehabilitation successful? :-} She she looks like an escape artist.
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