Someone Cares: Sit and Rest

This couple helped passerbys relax during the dog days of summer.

An artist's rendering of a man sitting on a bench as his dog drinks water.

My husband, Joe, and I got a great housewarming gift from my brother: He built us a wooden bench for our porch. We live on a hill that overlooks a river and walking path. Joe and I decided the bench would get more use next to the path. We were right—we could see how glad people were to have a place to sit and rest.

The next year, Joe and I added a lidded trash can so folks who wanted to enjoy a snack while they sat wouldn’t have to carry away their garbage. The year after that, we put out a small cooler of water bottles, along with a large metal dog bowl for the dog days of summer.

If visitors see us working in our rock garden, they shout out their thanks. But our favorite form of appreciation comes in the form of licks and nuzzles. We can’t have dogs of our own because of allergies, so we are more than happy to accept the love of furry friends passing through.

Learn more about Someone Cares greeting cards!

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