I love coming home. Don’t get me wrong, I get a great deal of satisfaction from working a solid day, but I really appreciate when I take the first steps across my threshold. At that point, I am always met by two whirling dervishes of love, wet kisses, and fur. For me, it makes my day.
According to an article in The Mighty last year, there is a certain furry friend who is an important part of the life of a young woman managing her life with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). For her, man’s best friend is part dog, part assistive device, and part mythical being.
I can relate, even though I don’t have CRPS.
For me, my two four-legged friends wear a number of different “hats,” too. Snickers is a Lab/pit bull mix and Lani is a beagle/basset hound mix. They play many different roles in my household: therapists, personal trainers, food testers, and entertainers.
They’ve recently taken on a new role. They’re now in charge of keeping me on the straight and narrow. Whenever I feel like my life would be complete if I just have a sugary snack, they follow me into the kitchen. I’d probably understand the message they are trying to convey even without the big-eyed, impassioned pleas (and occasional drooling), but I appreciate their support as they help me to not snack in solitude.
When it comes to sticking to an exercise regime, they’re a pivotal part of my workout schedule. It may have more to do with their need to get outside for different biological reasons, but for now, the two events coincide. At least twice a day, we all tromp outside with Frisbees and softballs in hand. The PE gear is only in my hands, but you get the idea.
We do have different paths to achieve physical fitness. The two of them happily romp, catch, jump, and retrieve while I get to exercise my throwing and retrieving skills. It’s a work out that works for us, we all end up gasping for breath when we’re done. They typically eat grass and drink water from the outside faucet, I skip both of those warm-down steps.
Mental health is a concern for all of us, as well. When there are conversations that need to be had that would confound my closest friends, Snickers and Lani are there to lend an ear and sometimes a furry shoulder. There is no judgment and I always appreciate the feedback that often includes a lick across the face to tell me all will be well and to come back for more conversation if I ever need it.
For me, man’s best friends are my constant companions who make my life more bearable and much more enjoyable when I return to the house we call home.
