“Dogs are minor angels, and I don’t mean that facetiously. They love unconditionally, forgive immediately, are the truest of friends, willing to do anything that makes us happy, etcetera. If we attributed some of those qualities to a person we would say they are special. If they had ALL of them, we would call them angelic. But because it’s “only” a dog, we dismiss them as sweet or funny but little more. However when you think about it, what are the things that we most like in another human being? Many times those qualities are seen in our dogs every single day– we’re just so used to them that we pay no attention.
-John Carroll
One thing that always makes life better is my dogs.
I can tell I desperately love something when fear creeps in when I think I could lose it. Franklin to have surgery last week and at his old age (13) there are always risks going under anesthesia. I was a wreck for the entire week.
I fully believe that God put dogs on earth to be companions and friends.
When we first got Franklin he had Santa hat on and a playful look in his eyes. I saw Little Tee on a Facebook post from the woman who fostered Franklin. He was sitting in a chair in a pink sweater. He has one eye and half a tail. The caption read, “don’t tell him he’s wearing pink.” I immediately knew he would be part of our family. I consulted the lady without even talking to my husband (which I never do). Something just felt right about him. I was going through a hard time with infertility and he was looking for a human to love.
These dogs have been my rocks through my fertility treatments. When I am crying, Tee will put his paws on my chest and lick my tears. Franklin will bring me his favorite ball to play, because the ball is comforting to him. I know this sounds crazy, but dogs know when something is wrong. I believe they feel on a deep level and have undying amounts of loyalty to their owners.
“Pets are the unrivaled masters of giving back. The pleasure they take in giving themselves back to us is perhaps their greatest lesson. Like our animals, we are wired to connect. To reach out, to love. But unlike them, with us other things get in the way— jealousy, insecurity, irritation, anger. Pets help us constantly come back to what makes us human. They’re a furry version of our best selves.”-Ariana Huffington
I know a lot of other animals who have helped people cope with difficult situations. Therapy dogs are helping to heal the emotional sides of cancer. According to that book I read, dogs are actually the closest mammal to humans in terms of the diseases they get. I believe this makes them incredibly relatable. And maybe it’s wrong to lean on them so much for support, but I believe they care. They listen. They understand.
Clarity Comes Through Engagement, Not Thought
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