My love and rescue of cats continued. My mom once asked me what I would do if I met Mr. Right who didn't want indoor pets. I honestly told her that I wouldn't marry him because he wouldn't be Mr. Right if he didn't want indoor pets. (My hubby ended up having an indoor cat when we got married and we merged into a blended family.)
Fast forward to more recent times:
My hubby brought home our first indoor dog years ago. I was not sure what I would think of the experience. I loved it! Especially when I noticed that my insomnia was greatly reduced. I realized that my inability to sleep was being driven by the fact that I felt my family wasn't "protected" if someone wasn't awake. (I had a traumatic childhood event during the night...with everyone asleep).
My dog came from a shelter. I was helping my sister look for a dog to rescue. What I saw upon opening one of the doors was the dog that I had always wanted. I was SO in LOVE!! My sister gifted him to me for my early birthday present. He's my boy!! I jokingly call him the baby boy that my hubby and I couldn't have.
Over the years, we have rescued/fostered many animals. However, our dogs held onto my heartstrings so tightly that I knew they were my own from the moment I saw them. Each dog that we own is a rescue of some form and each one has some type of issues...allergies, fear/anxiety, vision problems, possible hearing issues, etc. Each dog has also woven themselves into our hearts and is a part of us. Each one holds a special place in our hearts.
Today:
Our mailman came to the door undaunted by the "alarm system" that greeted his arrival. (I usually try to watch for him and go outside to meet him at the vehicle in order to avoid him having to go near the door...but today I was too late.) However instead of shying away from the doggie display, he opened the door. He wasn't scared of them. He didn't seem to be offended by them. He was simply helping someone and they let him.
Most people are "put off" by dogs barking at the door. (Honestly, I don't like them doing it myself.) However, you are someone new/different at their door so they announce your arrival. It's not like they don't throw a party when we get home too.
My mom was one of those people who was scared of my dogs. She judges dogs by looks. My dogs are bigger than my sister's tiny dogs...so when mine bark it is scary for my mom. My mom loves me. Evidently, she can see how much we love our dogs. She put aside her fears and got to know our dogs. Once she got to know them, she could see their individual personalities.
We had few visitors before we got the dogs...which is one reason we couldn't effectively train a better door response (people just avoided visiting; they aren't "dog people"). Now we have almost none. That's OK with us. We aren't living our lives to please others. We love our dogs and our home is their home!
That display that happens when people come to the door disappears. My dogs eat, sleep, play, love! ♥
My dogs provide me with meaningful interaction with a living being that is pure. They provide me with a level of security that I have found in very few human beings. I don't have to question their love, their loyalty, their motives. I can, without reservation, enjoy them for who they are. This pure and loving bond is something that I crave in my life. As an introvert and a deeply loving human being, I can be easily exhausted by the meaningless chatter and superficial friendships of the world. Too many people expect others to be what they want them to be.
My dogs just want to be loved.
No wonder we are so happy together.
We have the same goal...to love and be loved! ♥
