Lessons from a furry face

A dog can express more with his tail in seconds than his owner can express with his tongue in hours. ~Author Unknown

Luna, my baby, is now a year old. Give or take a week. In a little less than a month, she will have been a member of the family for a year, as well.

For those who do not share their lives with a furry family member, this might be difficult to understand. But, there is nothing like being able to walk in the door after a particularly long day of school or work or whatever life has thrown your way, and see those big black paws trying to reach over the gate to meet you and the spotted tongue trying to reach up for a kiss. That's a pretty great kiss.

My baby is a 40-pound, almost solid black (a few white stray hairs here and there), lab mix. What exactly is in that mix is uncertain, but that doesn't matter. What matters is her love of people, animals, and everything in-between.

Labradors [are] lousy watchdogs. They usually bark when there is a stranger about, but it is an expression of unmitigated joy at the chance to meet somebody new, not a warning. ~Norman Strung

And her love for me. This fur-ball is what made those long days not seem so bad. Tears shed into her fur makes it a bit easier to deal with. Rubbing her velvety-soft ears or her furry belly just make the stresses seem a bit easier to handle.

I thank God for this year of change. And for her. While school has been tough and being out "on my own" has been a big adjustment, having my baby there everyday has been a major blessing. From the games of catch and chase, to watching her get excited about seeing a squirrel or meeting another dog (or especially meeting a human), to be her comforter when there's a scary or strange object/noise nearby, this has been a growing and learning experience for me.

At the core, I realize she is a dog, but she's meant so much more. She's helped me witness unconditional love in a way I have rarely seen before. She's helped me grow out of my shell, as she has to meet every person she sees. She's helped me grow up and become more responsible; I have a living thing to worry about now.

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. ~Gilda Radner

My life is no longer about me or what I want. If it were, there would be no walks in the rain. (There would be less walks period.) There would be less sitting outside. There would be less enjoyment from the beauty of the trees and the humor in squirrels. I would be getting much less Vitamin D and exercise, that's for certain. Ironically, by taking care of her, I'm doing a better job of taking care of myself.

Maybe that's what dogs (and other furry creatures) are really here to teach us in the first place.