A Dog Gone Story
Over the past few years, New Orleans has been captivated by a West Highland terrier mix who the community has dubbed, Scrim. Scrim is 3-years-old, with cloudy fur, and weighs around 17 pounds. His story has helped temper the tragedies of the horrific Bourbon Street attack on New Year’s Day, and has given the people of New Orleans something cheerful to think about in a time of deep sorrow.
Scrim’s short life has been filled with harrowing adventures that read like a Walt Disney movie. In 2023, in an overcrowded shelter, Scrim was scheduled to be euthanized but was saved just in the nick of time by Ms. Michelle Cheramie. Ms. Cheramie, who loves stray animals, took temporary custody of Scrim and looked for a suitable home for the canine vagrant. Even at that early age, Scrim had been battered, neglected, and beaten up by life.
It wasn’t long before a family adopted Scrim and tried to make a home for him. On the first night in his new home, however, Scrim had other plans. He stealthily slipped out of the house and away he ran. You would think that the little guy, having found refuge and comfort, would have been content in his new digs, but the wanderlust was just too great, and he bolted.
He soon became a topic of news for the people of New Orleans as animal lovers all over the city searched for Scrim. He was seen crossing busy intersections, running down one way streets—the wrong way!—and barely avoiding an oncoming train. You’ve heard of the cat with nine lives, well, he was the dog with nine lives!
Ms. Cheramie was determined to save Scrim, so she acquired an extra cell phone and had her number listed in the city newspaper. Her telephone rang numerous times throughout the day with reports of Scrim sightings, but by the time she reached the place where Scrim had last been seen, he was gone. Finally, though, someone found him and brought him back to her house.
Ms. Michelle Cheramie & Scrim
As unbelievable as it sounds, the little dog couldn’t resist the wide-open spaces and escaped again! This time, he jumped out of her second floor bedroom window—his getaway captured by a security camera—wiggled his way under a wrought iron fence, and headed once more into the dangerous unknown. When reports leaked out that Scrim was on the run again, an even greater number of volunteers began looking for him, knowing that the dog’s chances of survival were slim the longer he stayed on the run.
While people everywhere looked for Scrim, they found abandoned cats and dogs all over the city. They also were able to assist homeless people living on the streets, offering food, shelter, and medical care. The search for Scrim had unforeseen benefits as both animals and people were rescued from uncertain fates.
Meanwhile, Scrim’s reputation continued to grow into a national news story. He became a hero of sorts and a legend on the nightly news, and his caught-on-camera adventures attracted a wide audience well beyond New Orleans.
At last, Ms. Cheramie spotted him, was able to sedate him, and brought him home. He had a number of broken teeth, one of his ears was partially torn off, and he had been shot with a pellet gun. Scrim has been through a lot, but now he is safe in the care of Ms. Cheramie.
The question is, of course, will he stay or once again embark on his vagabond journeys? Only time will tell, but for now, as far as I know, he has settled in.
I wonder, though, what caused Scrim to be so restless? What drove him to continually look for greener pastures?
Maybe Scrim was just a fidgety spirit, an adventurer in the mold of a Columbus or a Magellan or a space explorer. Maybe the security and love of a family made him feel caged in, and he yearned for freedom, to breathe the unpolluted air of a liberated soul, doing what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it.
Or maybe Scrim was simply looking for something better? Better food. Better home. Better family. Maybe Scrim has ambition and he feels that if he keeps looking, keeps searching, he will find the perfect fit.
Whatever the reason Scrim continued to run away, one thing is certain: He kept leaving behind the people who love and care for him. Maybe Scrim just hasn’t figured out yet that life only gets so good. There comes a point in life when it doesn’t get any better, and to keep looking for something better is self-defeating. If your plate is full, to add more simply causes you to lose what you have.
The story of Scrim reminds me of people I have known throughout my years in ministry who were never able to be content but were always striving for more. These ambitious men and women were good people, contributed to their church and communities, but could never find peace of mind. They were driven, you might say, to do bigger things—make more money, build taller buildings, acquire more land, expand their business. All of that is fine, up to a point, but when achievement becomes the be-all and end-all, well, have we pushed ambition too far?
Three thousand years ago, the wise Solomon realized that achievement is not the measure of a successful life. He was one of the wealthiest men in his world, had everything his heart desired, but realized that his craving for more had led to a life without meaning. No matter how much fame or fortune he acquired, nothing completed him. His life was empty. He even admitted as much.
So, where did he find some measure of completeness, some sense of contentment? Answer: In the simple things of life—in a good meal, a glass of wine, a loving and caring family, and in the simple appreciation of the gift of life.
Sometimes we make life more complicated than it needs to be. Seldom do we need a bigger home or the latest fashions or even a better job. The most precious treasures, the treasures that would put all of Solomon’s wealth to shame, are the family and friends who love us through thick and thin. In authentic relationships we find our greatest source of contentment.
Why, then, do we keep jumping out the window looking for something more?
