Sometimes, no matter how grateful I am for all the blessings I have, life can be challenging. Some nights, I inevitably arrive home floored by the busyness or worries of the day.
I’m not sure I can remember a time, however, that standing here, in the stillness – side by side with my fluffy-necked pony, lights twinkling across the dark water – didn’t help to clear the fog a little; and, even in the worst of times, that his ears flicked towards me, always listening, didn’t provide comfort at least in some small way.
Some of my earliest childhood memories are distant echos of the very same – the hugely significant role pets play in the life of a family etched into them. Often, whenever I feel down or overwhelmed even now, I find myself remembering sitting as an anxious schoolchild, buried deep in an armchair with my arms wrapped tightly around our old springer spaniel – a crazy dog with very little common sense but emotional intelligence and kindness in spades – stroking his silky ears and knowing all would be well.
Now, my days are still gratefully bookended by quiet solace with my family and my pets – give me an evening in with my wee boys tumbling around, a ramble with my parents’ dogs or an hour in the stable or field with my pony, and time and time again my perspective on life is shifted, all the better for the moments of companionship with my four-legged friends.
Throughout my childhood and adulthood alike, the animals I’ve been blessed with have given me so much to anchor me in the storms of life – offering their trust and loyalty against the odds, providing warm welcomes at the end of every day, and altering my outlook when I’ve needed it most. ❤️
~ Life, Loves and Adventures ~ 