We have a pig in our neighborhood. I am not talking about any of our human neighbors but a literal pig. Actually, this pig lives several blocks from our house near our son’s former middle school. But I think of it as living in our neighborhood since its home is on a street I travel quite often. From a distance,when I first saw this creature, I was certain it was just an overly heavy, gray dog. But upon further examination, I saw that it was indeed a pig. This discovery came sometime last year when the weather was nice. I would often walk by and see it lounging in the sun, just outside the back porch door, much like a dog would.

I have to admit to thinking about, even worrying about this pig over the winter months. I did not ever see it outside in the several feet of snow that surrounded its house. I never saw a path where it might have walked outside. Instead, the snow piled high around this house as it did all the others around the city. But I knew, someplace inside that house, a pig lived. I wondered how comfortable a pig could be confined to a house for so many months. Frankly, I never thought about the people inside, also confined to four walls, four walls that also housed a pig. My imagination ran wild with scenes of what it might be like to coexist with a pig as the snow continued to fall and fall.

But, joy beyond joy, today as I made my usual way past this pig-holding house, my wonderings came to an end. There, lying in the brilliant sunshine like the swine royalty it is, was the gray pig basking in the freedom of a spring morning. I pulled my car over into the bike lane and simply smiled at this sleeping wonder. Like many of us he had emerged into the new season a bit rounder around the middle. He looked happy and content to be outside once again.

Now I am not a person who takes much to animals inside the house. We have a cat and have had dogs, even a mouse once, and a few fish with short lives. But I cannot imagine what it is like to live with a pig. I am not making any judgments about it. I am simply intrigued. What is it like to be making your morning coffee and have a pig saunter by on its way for a drink of water, a bite of breakfast? Does the pig curl up at the feet of its master or mistress while they watch television? Does it hurry to greet them when they come home from work? So many questions.

I don’t know that I will ever have any of my questions answered but I do feel a sense of relief to see the pig free at last. Seeing the pig I was reminded of Wilbur the pig in E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web: “Why did you do all this for me?” he asked. “I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.”
“You have been my friend,” replied Charlotte. “That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die… By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heavens knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”

My prayer for this neighborhood pig sprung from its winter prison is that,like Wilbur did for Charlotte the spider, it has brought joy to its home companions. Like most of us, it is once again breathing deeply of the warm air that is full of the promise of new life. Over the next few days, even more snow will melt, and the sun will continue to coax the crocus, daffodils and tulips from their winter beds.

Keep your eyes open. Pigs could be coming out to sun themselves!

Have a warm and wonderful weekend…….