What Can We Learn From Our Fur Babies?

Finding Balance: A Lesson From Our Fur Babies

Whether we want to admit it or not, we all love our fur babies, right? Who else loves us unconditionally? Who else can we talk to when we just need a listening ear, with no added advice? Who else seems to somehow sense our down mood or sick spirit and come to our comfort?

Let me first apologize to all you cat lovers out there before I proclaim that, in my opinion, nothing tops having a dog in your life. (Well, okay maybe a husband and children!) However, if you are a fellow dog lover, you know what I mean, right? You’ll note my fur baby, Chip, even made it into the family photo! Should I mention he also somehow made it into every girl’s graduation photos? True statement!

Chip, our 7 lb. spoiled Yorkie wonder, came into our lives when he was 6 months old. A family friend could no longer keep him and I was more than willing to take on the task. Initially, I may have been the only one excited about the undertaking, but we have all (including my hubby, who would never admit his affection for the little guy) grown to love the furry little fellow.

Even at nearly 12, Chip stills goes on daily 2-mile walks with my hubby and ferociously hunts down wild animals in our backyard, including two close opossum encounters and one very close encounter with a skunk that resulted in 6 washing cycles for poor Chip!

What amazing me most about Chip is that he is an expert in finding balance in his life. If he is tired, he finds his “office” (aka blanket) outside my husband’s office quite cozy and drifts off to recover and revive. If he’s hungry, he finds his way to his dish, or more likely, a spot at the feet of the current diner in the kitchen, and fills himself. If he needs comfort, he scratches at a nearby leg indicating his need for some lap time. He takes life with calm and ease. Unlike me, he doesn’t rush around fretting over the current “crisis,” or let his mind wonder to what might be or might have been. He takes one day–no one minute–at a time and enjoys each of them.

The best therapist

Are you like me? Do you crave the need for recover and revival but constantly struggle with finding balance? The next time you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, take a lesson from Chip. Take a quick walk, do a quick exercise, journal a quick note, text a friend, or whatever could provide a much needed moment of revival in your day. After all, they do say: “the best therapist has fur and four legs“. I believe it!