The Animals Who Inspire Us

Virginia Freyermuth

The Heart of the Story

I’ve been thinking a lot about Julie’s beloved 3-pound therapy dog, Norbert. He is now 5 months an angel. Although tiny, his heart was huge, making over 2 million people around the world smile. If you have never visited his sites, feel free to visit @NorbertThe Dog on Instagram or NorbertDog on Facebook to get a sense of the beautiful community that grew around him, a community we call The Norberthood.

Life Woven Into Art

For so many of us, our pets are companions, confidantes, and muses. Norbert was most definitely all of these to me. He inspired the idea for our first picture book, Norbert: What Can Little Me Do? I painted the illustrations (seen above and below). When Norbert was adopted by my daughter, Julie, he was a one-of-a-kind mixed breed, the only pup in his litter. He moved from a farm to a big city. We wondered what it must be like for him to feel so small in the middle of a huge, bustling place. Perhaps it’s a question we may have all asked at one time—what can little me do?

Reflections Along the Way

The process of writing that book about self-reflection in Norbert’s voice introduced the universal idea of finding one’s unique place in the world. Ultimately, Norbert realized his special gift was making others smile just by being himself, and that was true. He lived his real life doing the seemingly simple thing of bringing comfort and joy to others. It didn’t matter who he met; people would leave feeling a little more special, a little more loved. Perhaps you, like me, believes that each person has unique and special gifts. If little Norbert could make so many people smile, each of us can surely do the same in our own special way.

Norbert’s loving spirit lives on, and the impact he had on others continues, including myself. The warmth of unconditional love a pet provides is not forgotten. Here I am posting a few illustrations from his book series so that you can see how the animals in our lives can inspire us.

An Invitation to Create

• Is there a story about your animal companion waiting to be told?
If you have a pet who has shaped your life, consider starting your own record of their stories. It might be a small sketch each day, a quick note on how they made you smile, or a longer reflection on how they changed your way of seeing the world. These reflections, gathered together, can become treasures. I am grateful for the creativity our little dog inspired in us.

• How could you make someone else smile in your own way?
There are so many simple ways to spread kindness and joy. Perhaps you can reflect on what sounds lovely to you. Do you like to cook, bake, garden, write, draw, paint, knit, draw, design, play music, lend a helping hand, say a kind word? We’d love to hear from you.