Must Love Dogs!
Of late I have been racking my brains to figure out what causes are most important to me as I start my Trustee leadership program. Something that really drives my passions or Ikigai and I always seem to come back to dogs.
When I was a small kid living in London money was scarce, so any thought of luxuries was not in my thinking. I remember vividly walking home from school at age 8 with some friends when we approached our neighbourhood sweet shop. We walked in and looked around wishing we had the money to buy some nice treats. Then suddenly one of the kids grabbed a handful of sweets and ran out. For some reason, call it peer pressure I decided to do the same. Little did I know the owner had a mean ass Jack Russell behind the counter. So, I started running home with this dog hot on my trail. Now as an adult thinking back on this incident I cannot help but smile. But at the time I was terrified and trust me this dog just kept coming right at my heels. I sure learned the meaning of speed that day. Eventually he gave up and I made it home in one piece. Now what followed triggers me with this story. My parents came to hear about the incident, so I was frog marched back to the shop to make recompense. Then I promptly received the thrashing of my life from my dad who was already heavy handed when it came to handing out discipline. This connection between dogs and punishment meant I had no love for dogs.
Now I turn the clock forward about 5–6 years when I lived with my father and twin brother in Kent. I remember one evening I was in the kitchen doing the washing up when there was a ring at the door. A friend of my fathers popped round for a chin wag, and he brought with him a massive female Rottweiler dog. I remember her name was Ellie and no joke she was huge and very intimidating. So, there I am in the kitchen with my marigolds on, soap suds everywhere when I sense a presence behind me. I turn round slowly to find Ellie sitting and watching me. Now back then Rottweilers and Pit Bulls had a terrible reputation because owners would use them to scare folks. So, I take a deep breath and think about how to manage this with my heart pounding. I decide to pick up a handful of suds and ever so gently place them on her nose. She did not know what to make of it and tried to blow them off. I started laughing and we became instant friends. She followed me round the house and to the back yard when I too the rubbish out. So, I conquered my fears.!!
When I look back at my life without doubt the fondest memories, I have involve a dog. Point in case I have just gone through my entire photo collection and found 100 pics with dogs, either me or my closest friends.
Just today I attended a brilliant online event with Guide Dogs Org.UK on how to become a puppy raiser. Sadly, I am not in the position to do this right now but that does not stop me from dreaming of being a volunteer raiser someday.
This week marks two main events for me (1) Paying it Forward Day on the 28th of April and (2) the 1st anniversary of the 2nd time I tried to take my own life.
I tie these events together as my dear friend Dipa who owns Marlo let me be part of his life. She realised my love for dogs and that it would help my Mental Health state of mind. It sure as and I will be forever grateful to her for showing me how to share my love again and care for something.
Just some of the adjectives that describe the feeling of being matched with a dog and Mental Health (sharing, communicating, confidence, love, emotion, miracle, loneliness, friendship, freedom, impact, independance, burden and life changing).
I am proud to say I am a dog person and I hope that one day I can share my life with four-legged friend who I have already named Teo in my head. :)
