The book that I am reviewing today is "Have Dog Will Travel: A Poet's Journey" written by Stephen Kuusisto. This book recounts the author's experiences with a guide dog for the blind named Corky.
Stephen was blind from birth, but he tried to keep it hidden as much as possible. His family felt that if others knew that he was blind, that it would be considered a weakness. Stephen went through college and became a professor trying to manage as best he could in the world.
Finally, Stephen realized that getting a guide dog could open up new possibilities for him in the world. He was accepted to receive a guide dog, and he went to the training program.
Stephen was matched with a yellow Labrador named Corky who make a tremendous difference in his life. Corky would allow Stephen to live more fully in the world and go anywhere that he wanted to travel.
I enjoyed this book very much. This book shows how much difference a dog can bring to a person's life. I believe that is true whether it be a service dog, a therapy dog or a companion. This book is Stephen's tribute to Corky, and it is very well done. I highly recommend this book.
One thing that Stephen writes about that I want to mention is the fact that even though guide dogs are supposed to be allowed in businesses, workplaces, restaurants and other locations, Stephen and Corky still encountered people that did not want to let them in. This is wrong, and I hope that this type of discrimination will end.
Someone whose posts I read on Twitter, @Kika_GuideDog, is a guide dog for a man who lives in London. His name is Amit. Amit and Kika have faced their share of nastiness from people. This has been posted on Twitter. Amit and Kika have been asked to get out of the way when they are on an escalator, and just recently, Amit and Kika were not allowed a space to sit down on the subway even though they were in the handicapped section. People wouldn't even bother to get up.
I'm not blind like Stephen and Amit, but I do have a recurring problem with my legs. For months, my legs will be fine. I can mow the grass and walk around fine. However, out of the blue, I will get a flare of the muscle and nerve condition in my legs. On a few occasions, I've had to use a cane to help when I walk.
When I've had to use my cane, I've experienced some bad instances. I've had people push around me and almost knock me over, and I had one woman in a parking lot ask me to hurry up and get out of the way so that she could get into a parking spot.
I hope that everyone reading this will take time to consider that the blind and those with other challenges have the right to have their assistance dogs with them to help. Also, don't be rude and nasty. Just because someone can't see, hear or walk as fast as others doesn't make them inferior.
Now, there is one other thing that I would like to mention. This book I've reviewed today really shows the difference that a dog can make. My dog Toby made a difference for me. He wasn't a certified assistance dog, but he was my helper. When I was facing depression and anxiety, he was there for me in a way that no one was before or since. I thank God for him everyday. I wish that we could be together right now. I know that if Toby had still been alive when my Mom and Dad passed away, my life would be different than it is today.
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