I must admit that I am not an animal lover. To all of my friends whose families are complete because of their furry friends – please don’t misunderstand me. While I love our family bunny (sweetly named Comfy Cozy by my youngest son), I believe it is quite a different relationship than is shared by people who are dog-lovers.
In the heartwarming yet complex story of Opal and her dog Winn-Dixie, I was drawn into the relationship between these two characters – a girl and her dog – and their parallel desire to feel loved and needed, in spite of their histories of abandonment and loss, and the surprising opportunities for redemption through such difficult experiences.
Each week, our group of fifth and sixth graders would gather to share their insights into this young girl’s life. I was concerned about some of the life themes that my 11-year-old would be exposed to through this story, but what I realized is this was an opportunity for my daughter to: empathize with others’ pain, find meaning in some of her own painful experiences, and have a safe place to discuss and explore these difficult life circumstances that are sometimes easier to shelter her from.
Because of Winn-Dixie, our cooperative homeschool Guild (comprised of four wonderful families with eleven children between us) decided that we would throw a party – not just any party, but a potluck lunch. And not just any potluck, but an array of food specially chosen to mimic the one specially planned by Opal.
Dump punch, dump cake, and a jar of pickles are only a few of the fancy items we put out for our big event. But we didn’t stop there. The TV room was specially decorated with pink twisted crepe paper in preparation for our great party, and we all watched this movie with grand anticipation. It was the great culminating experience after having walked through the story hand-in-hand together.
I’m still not an animal lover. But this sweet dog helped tell a story of unexpected redemption and hope in a way that speaks to all—children and adults alike.
-Christian
Now go read this book and have your own celebration – and please don’t forget to share your potluck pictures with us!