'Your boy needs a dog' Ross said, loud and clear, the other night while we were eating dinner.
Ross was right about the new bird cage. It's made my life so much easier. So when I mentioned a puppy to my kid, he got really really excited about it.
One was perfect online--Bltzen, a Welch Corgi red male that was born on Christmas Day.
But this morning, he was 'not available'.
So instead of doing my morning Reiki, I called the breeder's service that coordinates sales of corgis.
There was a sister, Prancer. Or Hanna who was only eight weeks old. I almost bought Hanna.
I checked everything until the final papers talked about the feeding schedule for puppies.
It was like when my son was a newborn, but worse because there's no diapers--the dogs have to be potty trained to go out. They can't just 'go' in the diaper and you change it.
On the way home from school this afternoon, my son asked about the dog he had fallen in love with online. He is good with dogs. His dad has two Boxers and he does okay with them.
I said that someone else had taken Blitzen and we were not going to be able to take him home with us.
He burst into tears. And this kid doesn't cry.
Before I had picked him up, I had read this Heavenletter, which basically is synchronistic with my spiritual growth at the moment: http://sirianheaven.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/heavenletter-4850-where-will-your-thoughts-take-you-march-6-2014/ It is a good way to get thinking about the life experience.
Today my sister, who had raised TWO puppies, Woodles (wheaton terrier poodle mix), said the experience was so awful that she bonded with other dog owners in the neighborhood in the process.
I remembered that, her experience and advice as my son cried.
I told him two things, and I started crying too--we need to be a good home for a dog so they will feel welcome and loved and supported by us--and our lifestyle sucks. We barely have time for anything, we are so busy.
Our neighbor is a dog walker. Once our tears dried up, she came over. With FOUR dogs! We asked her how to get to be a 'good dog owner'. She was honest. Her bottom line? A lot of people buy the dog to be there for THEM, but dogs are pack animals, and you need to be there for the dog.
I shared how we have so much love to give to a dog, and perhaps he could join her on her walks sometime so we can let him share from his heart?
She said yes.
He's walking with her right now.
And I understand the lesson.
The other important point is I have dog hair all over me from petting Sophie, a golden retriever. And my lungs are tight.
I have dog allergy--it's mild and I can enjoy dogs outside. But in the home is different. We are going to need to take that into account before we decide to bring a puppy or rescue dog home.
In a way, being able to discover things as they turn out, and staying Here and Now in the Moment, and feeling your feelings, and being honest, are in their own way a special Gift.
At one point my son asked me if I was tricking him, saying that Blitzen had been sold to another family?
And I said, 'No. I will never lie to you. Even when the news is tough. Some parents do (like my sister who glosses things over to make things 'easy' while child raising). But I won't.
One day, I hope, my lifestyle will change and I can be there for a puppy. It takes, according to our neighbor, three walks and three more letting the dogs out. And she says that leaving them alone in the yard is not in the best interest of the dog...
I hope to share more with you as this develops. I feel Ross' guiding hand behind all of this. There are no easy ways through life lessons, but if you focus on how you feel, and go along with what develops, you find your way through.
This last point is applicable to everything else in addition to dogs.
I hope it helps and is useful in your experience of co-creation for your Life.
Aloha and Mahalos,
Namaste,
Reiki Doc