“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”

I was recently asked how/ why is it Cullen is allowed to do things most dogs are not. My answer came without any questioning, hesitation, or confusion. I spoke with all honestly and simply said “because I trust him”. However, when I think back on this, what is trust all about? What is it worth?

I was able to focus on this thought yesterday as Cullen and I ascended up Pierce and made our way over to Eisenhower. Making our way up the Crawford Path there were no overlooks, opening, or views. We were completely immersed in the unsounded woods, which I didn’t seem to mind one bit. The over press of the fur croft forest around us allowed me to stay focused on my thoughts. With Cullen setting the pace we reached the summit of Pierce in less than two hours. The views for this peak were best just shy of the actual summit. The open ledges provided powerful views of Pierce’s fellow Presidential Range peaks with Jefferson, Adams, and Washington towering over the rest, and beyond doubt dominating the scene. Nevertheless, Eisenhower was the focal point for me.
As I tucked Cull-dog into my fleece to stay warm we sat and ate some lunch, gazing upon Eisenhower’s rounded domed shape summit. The sun was shining bright providing welcoming warmth, a perfect contrast to the cool morning air.

As soon as we were finished with lunch I was all rested up and Cullen was begging to get out and continue onward. As we walked the ridge over to Eisenhower I took several breaks. Not because I needed to, but the views were breathe taking. Valleys of mountains stretch over these lands farther than I could ever imagine. The weather became so warm I stripped down to my base layers and took Cullen’s fleece off. With my ongoing struggle to figure out what real trust was about I decided to sit and fix my eyes on the views before me to reflect. How is it that I can trust Cullen and he trust me? We are not of the same, he is a dog. With that come a lot of differences. We have different emotions, languages, manners, thoughts. Not paying much attention to my surroundings I decided to split from my thoughts to see where Cull was. I found him standing proudly on a rock, his head up high and his chest put out; standing over me, watching over me.

In that exact moment everything became clear. My questions answered by a simple regal pose and a kind gesture. Perfect trust is something that is indescribable. It doesn’t matter how different you are from something else. What matters most is the bond in which you are dedicated to developing and the love you have for one another. When actual trust exists there are no need for words, just the simple look into each other’s eyes or the motion of their body can tell you anything and everything you need to know. I now understand why my answer to that simple question I mention in the beginning came without any hesitation or confusion, because trust should be as pure as the air I breathed into my lungs on top of those mountains.

We shortly reached Eisenhower’s peak where the air became much cooler. We geared back up, ate some food, and took in the panoramic views. No words can justify the beauty these mountains provide. We didn’t stay long, our lollygagging earlier in the day chewed up most of our time. It was going to be a long and hard trek down due to the amount of ice.  Just before our departure, Cullen found his way to the top of the monstrous cairn placed directly in the center on the summit, conquering this mountain even more completely than I had. He stood at the highest section possible making a statement greater than anyone. This Min Pin showed those mountains how brave, dedicated, and worthy he is, unsatisfied with his voyage until his paws made a mark on the highest point possible; a mark he has already made in my life on our voyage for true friendship.          

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”
---George Macdonald