Congratulations to Misty – today is her 10th Birthday – a milestone in any doggy life. According to a certain dog food manufacturer her age equates to 56 in human years. They take into account the dog’s age and weight to calculate the correlation. It has to be said, though, that she is definitely a senior in years. We celebrated with extra cuddles and a walk in one of her favourite places.
How does one sum up what a dog means to its human companions? Any dog owner will tell you of the laughter, the precious joys of becoming close to a puppy and the daily sheer stress-busting presence of a doggy-person I would hesitate to call a pet. They take us out for a walk and out of ourselves when life is taxing. We simply love them to bits. We can stroke our dogs and feel the warmth and heaviness of their bodies close to ours and somehow we breathe more easily.
Social media has been full of videos and stories about animals these last ten days or so. I think it is as an antidote to world events. The attacks in Paris and elsewhere have shocked and dismayed all reasonable and caring people. To be honest I have been thankful that I have not had to get into the pulpit and try to make sense of what has been happening. It is hard to understand any of the mindset that leads people to blow themselves up whilst causing as much damage and heartache to others that they can. One of the most important things is that we guard against becoming so frightened that we are driven into discrimination and thoughtlessness towards the moderate Muslim communities which form part of our culture. That would be to let the extremists win, for their goal is to alienate and bring forth anger and reaction instead of the principles of tolerance, peace and love.
In waiting to comment I have been able to be calmer about the awful scenes that join us in our living rooms and haunt our minds. However, the relatives and people who have lost loved ones must be hurting so much that we cannot expect them to be part of the call for tolerance and calm. Those who are left to mourn and those who are left to shake with fear at loud noises are the same people who need us to look after them now. And doesn’t the same kind of compassion need to be brought to bear on the situation with the refugees who end up fleeing those same horrors and coming to live in amongst us? In my part of the Highlands a group of Syrian families have been brought to rest and recover and I hope and pray that they help us all to understand the evils of Daesh as much as we help the settlers to understand that they are safe.
For now – I am going to go and give Misty a hug.
Blessings from Dalamory.
Well said Freda! I wish I had an innocent to hug. I miss my kitties even after all this time. Will have settle for John.
Give Misty an extra hug from me too please Freda. If only the rest of the world would settle for hugs.
Wonderful piece Freda. Yes, when you’ve been attacked and seen the destruction its hard not to feel anger. And all the sentiment in the world from people who try to shame you for your feelings will not make things better. I try to stay focused and remember the faces of Muslems I have known, some of whom have been very kind to me.
That’s what dogs are for: to soothe the troubled spirit with their calm and acceptance and simple joy and gratitude for small things.
I have yet to meet one of those nasty minds who decry and smear refugees with vitriol. Perhaps I just don’t know people of that ilk. I probably wouldn’t know how to deal with them calmly; I’d get so angry that I’d lose the battle before it’s begun.
I have a similar paragraph in yesterday’s post, except I’ve left out Millie.