The other day I made a quick blog post on dancing and how much I love it. I felt great afterward and I began thinking about how I need to focus on things that bring me real joy. So, I decided that for one week I would try and write exclusively about things that made me happy.
Today? My dog, Neera.
Tracy and I were living on a piece of country property when we got Neera as a puppy. She's the daughter of a pound rescue. We don't know much about her breed but it's fairly obvious that she's at least a little bit lab. She's had her problems. She's been attacked by other dogs, raccoons, and skunks. She's dog on dog aggressive and so she's not exactly a dog park dog, but she's sweet with our little girl, has been since Shea was a baby. She loves to snuggle with me and there are many nights when I fall asleep with my arm over her and the smell of her fur filling my dreams.
Each and every day we run her outside. We grab the Chuck-It and toss the tennis ball for her. She rips around the yard like a shadow. She's fast as hell and she'll play until she pukes. She's getting on eight years old now and lately Tracy and I've been noticing a little bit of slowing in her. We have many good years left with her and for that I'm grateful.
Even as I'm sitting here typing, Neera is lying next to me on the couch. She curls up next to me when I work and waits for me to go to bed. Tracy gets frustrated at times because she wants Neera to keep her company until I go to bed, but the dog often winds up posted up next to me. I scratch her ears between grading essays and if it gets to late she whines and tells me I need to go to bed. She's like an alarm clock in reverse.
For many of you these posts will be the least interesting of my posts, but these are the things that lift me up in a day. When I get home from work and my dog greets me at the door with an overly enthusiastic hello, well, I light up a little. She's a part of our family and she brings me comfort and companionship and that coveted emotion...joy.
I read an article about how female dogs often stay closer to their male owners and male dogs often stay closer to their female owners...treating the same gender in humans as the "alpha" dog to themselves. When I think about all the people I know who own dogs, the theory seems true!
ReplyDeleteWell, it looks like Neera is holding true to form then. Interesting insight, Katey.
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