Furry Companionship – Just What the Doctor Ordered
by Irene Frances Olson
Whether during trying times or those gloriously mundane calmer times of yore, many of us could use a bit of non-judgmental presence in our lives. Furry family members certainly qualify but not having any of my own, I’ve reached out to a couple people who are close to me who do.
Don – Seattle, Washington
I live alone. By that I mean I’m the only human in my house. I do, however, have a very best non-human friend in the world residing with me. That would be my Sweet Ramona, a Border Collie/Labrador Retriever mix. A rescue dog, Ramona was found by a rescue organization in an abandoned home in Houston, Texas. I adopted her in my home state of Washington in November, 2018.
In his marvelous book, “Our Wild Calling: How connecting with animals can transform our lives - and save theirs”, author Richard Louv refers to observations by Stuart Brown, a psychiatrist and founder of the National Institute for Play. Stuart refers to humans as “the Labrador retriever of primates”. Louv then goes on to emphasize the importance of play in an increasingly stressful society, and comments on that as one reason so many people share their homes with Labrador retrievers.
That defines precisely Ramona’s and my relationship. She provides me constant joy, comfort and companionship - whether that is watching her romp and play carefree at the dog park, snuggling up to me on the couch with her head resting on my lap while I watch TV, or stretched out at my side while I work in my home office - which she is doing right now as I write this.
Thank you, Ramona, for simply being the loving and kind soul that you are.
Whether during trying times or those gloriously mundane calmer times of yore, many of us could use a bit of non-judgmental presence in our lives. Furry family members certainly qualify but not having any of my own, I’ve reached out to a couple people who are close to me who do.
Don – Seattle, Washington
I live alone. By that I mean I’m the only human in my house. I do, however, have a very best non-human friend in the world residing with me. That would be my Sweet Ramona, a Border Collie/Labrador Retriever mix. A rescue dog, Ramona was found by a rescue organization in an abandoned home in Houston, Texas. I adopted her in my home state of Washington in November, 2018.
In his marvelous book, “Our Wild Calling: How connecting with animals can transform our lives - and save theirs”, author Richard Louv refers to observations by Stuart Brown, a psychiatrist and founder of the National Institute for Play. Stuart refers to humans as “the Labrador retriever of primates”. Louv then goes on to emphasize the importance of play in an increasingly stressful society, and comments on that as one reason so many people share their homes with Labrador retrievers.
That defines precisely Ramona’s and my relationship. She provides me constant joy, comfort and companionship - whether that is watching her romp and play carefree at the dog park, snuggling up to me on the couch with her head resting on my lap while I watch TV, or stretched out at my side while I work in my home office - which she is doing right now as I write this.
Thank you, Ramona, for simply being the loving and kind soul that you are.
Lainey – Lake Stevens, Washington
My horses have helped me through many difficult times in life by providing a baseline of normalcy in the midst of unfamiliar or challenging situations, and this has been especially true in times of COVID. Despite how the rest of the world is changing, the barn remains the same (with the minor addition of strategically-placed bottles of hand sanitizer). Water buckets still need filling, stalls still need cleaning, and horses still need grooming, feeding, and exercise. These chores are comforting in their familiarity, and since the pandemic hit, give me an opportunity to get out of the house and break the monotony of isolation. It also helps to get a mental break from the stress of the nonstop news cycle: the horses are silent in their communication of blinks, nudges, and swiveling ears, and the barn swallows swooping overhead tweet in a language that sounds only like music to my ears. If you're needing some more personal details regarding my relationship with Aidan, I realized that my article from a few years ago is still live on this website: http://equestrianculture.com/custom_type/not-what-i-wanted/
So, you see, my friends, companionship and community exist wherever we find it. There are those who proclaim they prefer their own company over the company of others. I certainly understand that concept, and might lean in that direction more often than not, but when it comes right down to it – when life’s stressors bear down on us, it sure is nice to have someone, or a furry friend, to accompany us during our times of strife. Besides, I think the animals benefit just as much as do us humans – as a matter of fact, I know they do.
What a lovely, mutually supportive relationship.
My horses have helped me through many difficult times in life by providing a baseline of normalcy in the midst of unfamiliar or challenging situations, and this has been especially true in times of COVID. Despite how the rest of the world is changing, the barn remains the same (with the minor addition of strategically-placed bottles of hand sanitizer). Water buckets still need filling, stalls still need cleaning, and horses still need grooming, feeding, and exercise. These chores are comforting in their familiarity, and since the pandemic hit, give me an opportunity to get out of the house and break the monotony of isolation. It also helps to get a mental break from the stress of the nonstop news cycle: the horses are silent in their communication of blinks, nudges, and swiveling ears, and the barn swallows swooping overhead tweet in a language that sounds only like music to my ears. If you're needing some more personal details regarding my relationship with Aidan, I realized that my article from a few years ago is still live on this website: http://equestrianculture.com/custom_type/not-what-i-wanted/
So, you see, my friends, companionship and community exist wherever we find it. There are those who proclaim they prefer their own company over the company of others. I certainly understand that concept, and might lean in that direction more often than not, but when it comes right down to it – when life’s stressors bear down on us, it sure is nice to have someone, or a furry friend, to accompany us during our times of strife. Besides, I think the animals benefit just as much as do us humans – as a matter of fact, I know they do.
What a lovely, mutually supportive relationship.
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Irene Frances Olson
Author of Requiem for the status quo, a novel that celebrates and encourages family caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other dementia. You can find that book HERE. Ms. Olson is a member of AlzAuthors, www.alzauthors.com, a compendium of authors who have all been affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementia. These authors share their experiences to bring knowledge, comfort and understanding to those on a similar journey. AlzAuthors was recently recognized as a United States tax-exempt organization. |
