As any tried and true pet owner will tell you, animals really are angels sent here to teach us how to love. They give us far more than we can ever hope to receive, including their undying adoration and affection. The love we have for our pets is unconditional and easy; it is never questioned. So what exactly do our animals teach us about love? Read on to get my thoughts on this.
1) Love is earned through companionship and trust. When we first get a new furry addition to our family, we aren't quite sure what we think of them and vice versa. Did we choose correctly? Did they? It is a learning process as we get to know one another. The more time we spend with them, the more we discover about them. We find comfort in their presence. We begin to trust them, and they begin to trust us. They will slowly test the boundaries of how close they can get to us and how we will respond. Soon enough, they are a happy ball of fur and love on our lap. Human love is like this too. We have to feel each other out, test boundaries, and see how we feel in each other's presence until that trust and companionship becomes second nature and feels like home. My best advice to you as a matchmaker is to always be with the person who feels like home to you.
2) Always be excited to see one another. Do you ever notice how excited your dog gets when you return home? They are so thrilled to see you that they can hardly contain their joy. They race over to greet you at the door without a second thought. It is just in their nature. They have to show you how much they love you. They jump all over you, trying to get as close as they possibly can to give you ALL of the smoochies. They don't care if your hands are full. They want to love you now, in this moment. This scenario happens whether you have been gone for 5 hours, 5 days, or 5 minutes. Any length of time away from you is too long, so they want to show you how much they missed you. Be like your dog. Show excitement when your partner walks through the door, even if you are busy. Take the time. Let your love for them distract you and love on them in that very moment. This will show them how much they mean to you and make them feel your unconditional love. Which brings me to my next point.....
3) True love is unconditional. Your animals love you just as much at your worst as they do at your best. They don't care if you just woke up and you look like a hot mess and smell like a steaming turd. They love you all the same. They will crawl right up on you and give you all of their kisses to greet you at the very moment that your eyes open (and sometimes even before). They don't care if you lost your job or if you don't have all of the answers. They pay no attention to what or who you are wearing. They love you for YOU, plain and simple. This is probably the most important lesson that we learn from our animals. We don't have to be perfect to be loved. We just have to show up and be ready to receive that love.
They say that when we take an animal into our lives, that we give them a home. The truth is that they are the ones who give us a home. They provide us with a safe place to be 100% ourselves. Our pets really are the best parts of us. They teach us so much about how to love and also how to be loved. If you have a pet at home, go hug them right now. Tell them how much you love and appreciate them. The same goes for your partners. Let them know how much they mean to you as well. Love each other with the same excitement that your dog shows when you arrive at home after a long vacation away. Take the time. Live in the moment. You never know how many more entrances you will get in life.
Now, run along and be the person your dog thinks you are.
Love, kisses, and paw prints,
Matchmaker Lisa Maria