I've been feeling a bit blue lately, nothing really big, just an accumulation of realizations and feelings as I come up on a year post marriage. Sometimes I can shake the blues on my own, and sometimes I know it's important to just let them be, process them and work through them so I can move on. I have tried various anesthetics in the form of people,activities, distractions, and substances, and many of them have been incredibly fun, but in the end, the feelings are there and I have to deal with them. And I am.
And then came last night with a call from a friend asking if I could help her in a pinch by taking care of her dog, Oona, for 24 hours. Naturally, I jumped at the chance, and have found myself in an absolute state of calm and happiness during Oona's visit. It's not that Oona has made my blues go away, but her presence has helped me understand viscerally the way therapy dogs in healthcare environments make so much sense. Sometimes we mere mortals get caught up contemplating our navels, or fret endlessly about that over which we have little control, and the presence of a dog reminds us to let go and enjoy. Sometimes we humans don't realize that the grumpiness we're feeling is actually the longing for some physical touch, and petting a dog or being leaned on can provide that desired contact. Sometimes we need an excuse to pick ourselves up and get on with life, and a dog always needs to go out.
Call it what you will, the wisdom of the dog or the zen of nature. I call tonight a most welcome random act of "Puppy Love".
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