Sometimes, life’s greatest blessings arrive looking nothing like what we hoped for. In this reflection inspired by It’s a Wonderful Dog, author Keri Salas explores how resistance often hides what our hearts most need—and how love, in its purest form, has a way of waiting patiently until we’re ready to say yes.
It’s funny how the things we need most often arrive looking nothing like what we expected—or even wanted.
We picture healing as soft and beautiful, but sometimes it shows up wrapped in resistance. The new job that stretches us past comfort. The friendship that challenges us to communicate differently. The quiet house that feels lonely at first but is really an invitation to rest.
We resist, we wrestle, and somewhere in the middle of it all, we realize: maybe this is exactly what we needed.
That’s what I love about Mary Bailey’s story in It’s a Wonderful Dog. One winter morning, she meets the dog who will change her life forever—and promptly says no. But in no time at all, charmed by his puppy ways, she changes her mind. The rest is history.
It’s such a simple moment, yet it captures something profound: we don’t always run with open arms toward the things most meant for us. Sometimes the very thing that asks us to stretch, to soften, or to say yes feels uncomfortable at first.
Dogs seem to know this instinctively. They don’t take our hesitation personally. They just stay—patient, present, trusting that love will find its way.
And it does.
So if something in your life feels unfamiliar right now—an opportunity, a shift, a change of heart—pause before you turn away. What if it’s your next right thing in disguise?
Sometimes, the things meant for us don’t arrive the way we expect.
Sometimes, they test us before they teach us.
And sometimes, if we’re lucky, they come with fur, muddy paws, and a wagging tail. 🐾
