WHAT A YEAR OF DOG LOVE TAUGHT ME
It’s been a year, year two starting from today. A year in which Wendy grew from a little heart-stealing bundle into a 30kg dog. Still stealing hearts, still playful, affectionate, and (sometimes) overjoyed. Year one taught me a lot of things – from bliss to pain, loss to gain, and boundaries to loyalty. All of which were not part of the package, or so I thought. Because when a dog stumbles into your life, you (read: I) think of dog training, behaviour, pee-mishaps, chewing, food. While all these happened, here is a short recap of the unexpected things Wendy taught me, the most fun one: life is a teacher taking on many forms 😉
When she moved in, she taught me bliss. Although 50% of the household were clearly not dog-friendly, Wendy brought bliss. When she grew, in month 2, she taught me pride in my achievements and playfulness. In month 3, she taught me how to defend, trust my instincts and win over the enemy. September was all about failures: mishaps, how you cannot lead by controlling, how she will do what I ask if I don’t take stuff personally. In October, she taught me how to be a beginner, because joining the search and rescue team is about learning new things; and working well with others. She taught me to just be. In December, she reminded me of innocence. Eight months in, and she started challenging me, reminding me of my true capacity. February was about taking it easy, and march brought loss, heartbreak and the certainty that life’s amazing grace lies not in the end, but in the journey. In April, Wendy taught me trust, the value of friendship, joy, and togetherness leading to fun new adventures. And finally, with the twelfth month rolling round she taught me how to be a team.
Life is a miracle, and every day is special. Something to be grateful for. There are a lot of people, and animals out there whose eyes reflect the wisdom of the worlds to you. With loyalty and an open, yet protected heart you can never go wrong. Maybe life is just a lesson in unconditional love towards oneself and others.
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This blog, meant to guide you in your individual light, was named Blog of The Guild of Light. What sounds a bit sanctimonious, actually is the opposite. The Guild of Light is not a group of followers, but a consolidation of free individuals regarding each other with acceptance, knowing that Individuality and togetherness without dependence are possible. And that freedom has nothing to do with being alone.