Happiness is a Good Dog

Friends, greetings from Minneapolis, two days before the Bad Wedding Reception party.  The condo building is abuzz, and I could not be happier to know all these lovely Friends will be coming together to celebrate.

I live in a condo building that is affectionately known as the Dorm for Adults.  Several of us neighbors have been Friends for almost 9 years now, all having been the very first to move in.  We are constantly in each others’ lofts and lives, sharing stories and milestones, walking each others’ dogs, having movie nights and Sunday Fundays. It is what I missed so very much while living abroad, and I am thrilled to be back.  It is so lovely to have good neighbors and be able to pet all the good dogs in the building each morning and night. 

My little Betsy Beagle was adopted by a new family when I moved away, (and she’s doing GREAT!), so I get my puppy fix by watching all of the neighbors’ pups, including Tater and Leon, the naughty/nice French bulldogs just downstairs.  Here are pictures of a typical set of interactions. 

First, Tater taunts León

 

Next, they bite each other on the mouth, hard.

Then, it’s all-out war.

 

 

This, of course, is followed by them eventually both curled up at Auntie Sarah’s feet, like so:

 

I love these dogs dearly, and I visit them at least every other day, to get my puppy fix.  Even with Dorian is not home, I go visit them and snuggle up as I write my audit reports, I love them so.  Some days I swear we speak our own language.

 

Dogs are easy.  Dogs have unconditional love, always, and they are always so happy to see you every single time you show up.  Dogs do not assume the worst of people, they assume the best.  Dogs filter out all the nonsense and know, instinctively, who has a good heart and who does not.  Dogs somehow know when to lick your face and snuggle up with you on a bad day. 

 

Yesterday was a bad day.  I got the verbal crap beat out of me undeservedly by someone I care about, and it was intense and just….gross.  I had tears a couple times.  I won’t get into it, because that is not cool, but it was very sad.  Mostly it was sad because my Friend was hurting so much from something in the past that they made some assumptions about a current situation that were unfounded, and they said some things that were really out of line.  I can take hurt---I’ve seen hurt, I know hurt, but I also have good boundaries now and won’t put up with being a doormat.  That said, sometimes when people we care about are having a bad day, we gotta be like a good dog and just let them….be, let them sort it out.  I don’t understand what happened between us, and I don’t have to any more, because I have done my part to try to make them feel better and was accountable for the things I needed to be, even though it was not reciprocated. Sometimes, like a good dog, you just need to listen.  And when they’re not looking, lick their face.  Just kidding.  Maybe. Depends on the Friend, I guess.
 

Today’s happiness has a duality to it:  happiness is knowing yourself and your own boundaries well enough (yay!) to know that sometimes people we care about project their past history on us in ways that are hurtful (ugh!).  Being a good Friend means sticking with them, like a good dog, and then going for a walk (like a good dog), then checking in again to see how they are, and then, finally, just going to bed, because there is nothing more you can do.  The trick is to have peace inside yourself knowing you did your best to take good care of them.  I think that is what a good dog would do.
 

May we all be man’s best Friend today and be a good dog for someone who needs it.  We have all been there, and sometimes it is our job to be there for others.  Today is not all flowers and dancing happiness, today is a thoughtful happiness in knowing that I was able to recognize and step out of a situation that had nothing to do with me.  Time will tell if a face-licking is appropriate, but I am guessing not, and so, I will lick my own, and I will say to myself, “Good Dog.  Gooooood Dog” because sometimes I’m the only one who can.

 

Wishing you all a better day today and lots of love from Minneapolis,

Your Good Friend Sarah