Merry Holiday

By god, it's beyond the middle of December already? And, Christmas is fast approaching! Where did the time go?...who knows? But, ahhh, the holiday season is amongst us, and I love it! I love the lights and decorations that people put up and many more people seem to be in a brighter mood (that is, when they're not at the mall shopping). Usually, the weather is crisp and cool, and the air seems electrified, or maybe it's just me emanating the joy I feel! Okay, the weather we've been having lately is starting to bog me down. I love the rain but this ongoing rain is insane! It has NOT let up. My plants are drowning along with the earthworms. I swear I have not seen a single earthworm come up for air in my front or back yard, probably because this excess water has killed them is what I'm thinking.

Furthermore, all this rain is disrupting my dogs' desire to pee and poop. My poor dogs don't want to do their business...well, except for Morpheus. He's the only one not bothered by the rain. Ripley, the little queen that she is, does everything she can to avoid having water touch her paws which is impossible with this weather. Elektra, who neither likes the idea of getting wet nor the unpredictable sounds that can occur from rain, loves sitting underneath the small walkway in front of the house to feel the cold air. She sits there for about an hour and then is ready to come into the warm house.

Although I enjoy Christmas like most people, it is not my favorite holiday because it's become too commercialized for me. Also, I dislike the pressure of having to shop for someone and trying to figure out what to get. Where and when did we get this idea of gift giving anyway? From the Three Wise Kings bearing gifts? I thought Christmas was about bringing good cheer and love towards men? Well, I suppose exchanging gifts is a wonderful way to that, until, of course, it becomes an obligation or you are expected to give a gift, then it becomes stressful. I do enjoy buying gifts for people, but it is unpleasant shopping when there are hundreds of people shopping at the same time. And, it's never fun to witness some people transform into aggressive lunatics when trying to vie for a parking space at the mall.

Recently, I had a conversation with Augustine regarding gift giving as we were driving to the movie theatre. I was curious to see what he wanted for Christmas. Basically, he said that there was nothing he needed or wanted. Sounded good to me, I thought. However, after a moment, he continued.

"All I ever get are sweaters and pajamas for Christmas," he said with a hint of complaint.

Oh-oh..."I thought you liked pajamas," I said, as I thought about the nice pajamas I had just gotten him recently that just happened to arrive in the mail two days ago and were safely hidden away.

"I didn't say I didn't like pajamas. It's just that I'm a musician and nobody has ever thought of giving me a gift card from Guitar Center," he replied.

So true, I thought. Fortunately, besides those pajamas I had bought him, I had already decided to get him a gift card from Guitar Center. Also, I did make it a point to tell my sisters this year to get Augustine a gift card from Guitar Center instead of getting him the usual sweater he gets from them every year. Geez, after all these years we've been together, I never even thought of Guitar Center even though I knew he often bought things there. It only hit me after Augustine's exasperated bewilderment last Christmas when he said, "Why doesn't anyone give me a gift card from Guitar Center? Chino always gets them." Chino is a long time friend of his who is also a guitarist but not as good as Augustine in my opinion. So, I made a mental note of his manly whining, and I remembered for this Christmas.

I am embarrassed to say that I was a perfect example of how clueless a person can be when it came to knowing what gift to give someone you know very well. Gosh, it would be easier if he were a dog. A dog wouldn't care what gift you give him. Take Morpheus as an example. He would be thrilled with one squeaky toy more than food itself. A squeaky toy would delight the dickens out of him. On the other hand, Ripley would always choose food (meat, that is, since she's not partial to fruits or vegetables) over a silly toy. Elektra would be excited with either. She doesn't discriminate. And, if they didn't get anything at all, they would still be content. My point is they don't expect any presents for Christmas nor do they care if they don't get any, which is refreshing and a relief. Because of their lack of expectations and carelessness, it makes me want to give them anything they want. Wouldn't it be nice if the majority of people felt the same way? Not expecting anything but always appreciative if they did get something.

I endeavor to be appreciative of whatever I get but it doesn't always work out that way, especially when I suspect I might be getting something I don't want. Augustine had asked me what I wanted for Christmas this past weekend as we were waiting for our breakfast to be served at Mimi's.

"I really don't want anything. Get me whatever, I don't care," I said. It was true. I've been buying myself presents throughout the year that there was nothing I could think of to want.

He looked over to my purse and asked, "Where did you get that purse?"

"Ooh, I love this purse. It's so functional. I got it when I was in Boston," I said. I paused for a moment, then asked, "Were you thinking of buying me a purse?"

"Well, you said I could give you whatever I wanted," he replied.

"But I don't want a purse," I quickly said. "I have so many."

"Then, what do you want?" he asked again.

"I don't know," I answered.

"Then, I'll just give you money," Augustine said with some resignation.

"Money??!!" I said indignantly. "Why would you just give me money? That seems so impersonal."

Augustine didn't say anything else. He just looked at me, put his lips together in a tight smile and shook his head at me. I knew what he was thinking but I decided to play dumb because I knew that plenty of people would love to get money for Christmas.

"What?" I asked, attempting to sound innocent. "Fine, get me whatever you want but don't get me a purse."

Poor Augustine. Sometimes, I don't make it easy for him. I'm sure he was tempted to bop me on the head the way Moe would do to Curly from The Three Stooges to remind me to be appreciative of whatever I got. Clearly, appreciation wasn't in my mind at the time. To my weak defense, our conversation occurred before our breakfast arrived, so I was pretty hungry which clouded my thinking.

Yes, in retrospect, it made me question myself. Did I forget the meaning of Christmas? It's not about getting presents, although some people may think so. I mean, how fortunate was I to even have someone want to buy me a purse or offer to give me money? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy receiving presents just like anybody else, but presents are truly just a result of Christmas and not the reason. I supposed if I were Ripley, I would have just said, "Thanks daddy, a purse would be lovely," and that would be it. But, hey, being human with particular preferences, it didn't happen that way, which is probably the reason Augustine usually ends up giving me gift cards from stores he knows I frequent.

When I think of the meaning of Christmas, I automatically think of my dogs. Christmas for me is to spread love, peace and joy, and my dogs certainly do that for me all year round. They don't wait for the Christmas season to come. Also, they don't expect any gifts. They are happy just to be with me because they love me. Isn't that a gift in itself? Being content just because you are with them...it's the best! And, I am blessed with three of them. In this respect, I strive to be like my dogs. To be satisfied just to be around people you love, sharing joy and laughter with them, and it costs absolutely nothing to do that. Christmas is not about stressing and rushing because you haven't gone shopping or you don't know what gift to give or worrying if your gift is enough, etc. It's not about those trivial things. We humans get so caught up with the material stuff that surrounds Christmas that we tend to forget the spiritual essence of it.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one, then you will know that having a dog will always bring love and good cheer in your house whether it be Christmas or not. They will brighten you up like a lit Christmas tree that lights and decorations would be unnecessary. This year I opted not to get a Christmas tree or put up any decorations just because I haven't had the time. However, because of the love and funny personalities that Ripley, Morpheus and Elektra display every day, I am always filled with happiness, love and laughter just being around them. If Santa truly existed and he had the power and ability to give me anything I wanted, I would ask him to add ten more healthy years to each of my dogs' lives. Now, that would be the most perfect Christmas gift for me. Regardless, my dogs are and have been the best gift ever to have come into my life. Merry Holiday!!!

Thank you for reading my blog. Any comment is welcomed.

A Halloween Story

October is one of my favorite months just because you can really feel the change in the air that tells you that fall has finally decided to arrive even though it officially came late September. In California, fall never really starts until the days have become shorter and it's safe to keep a blanket on the bed at nights. Although, having dogs in your bed is just as good if not better than a blanket. Now that the nights have been consistently chilly, I welcome Morpheus' body wedged between me and the open window of our bedroom. He's like a warm pillow I can just hug until I get too hot. It's absolutely lovely!

But Halloween is what most people think about when we're in the month of October. It's supposed to be the most terrifying time of the year, and who doesn't like a good fright every now and then. I enjoy a scary movie as long as nothing happens to the dog, if there is one. I'm not talking about blood and gore scary. That's just special effects and no story line. I'm talking about suspense and mystery like "The Sixth Sense" or "The Others." Those movies gave me the willies.

I do have my own creepy story that really happened when Ripley and I were living in Reseda years ago. It was at night, and I was on the phone with my best friend Sadhna in my bedroom. As we were talking, the other line beeped, since I had call waiting. My sister Jennifer was on the other line. She told me that she had just spoken to our dad. My dad had wanted her to open her bible to a certain page and keep it open. I don't recall which page it was supposed to be but having the bible open to this particular page would apparently ward off any evil spirits. After having spoken to Jennifer, my dad told her to "tell your sisters."

"Are you serious?" I asked skeptically after listening to my sister.

"Yes, that's what Dad said," Jennifer replied.

"Why would I want to do that? There's nothing going on here," I said.

Being the eldest sister, Jennifer gave an exasperated sigh and said, "Arlene, just do it, okay?"

"Fine," I said with resignation. I figured that there was no harm in opening up a bible and leaving it like that. I told Jennifer that I was on the other line with Sadhna so I had to go.

"Hey Sadhna. Sorry, that was Jennifer," I said.

I recounted what Jennifer had told me as I walked to grab the bible that my dad had bamboozled me into getting. I opened the bible to the page I was told and left it open on the foot of my bed. Ripley was curled up near the head of the bed undisturbed as Sadhna and I continued our conversation.

About ten minutes later, Ripley got up suddenly and started barking. I didn't pay much attention until she continued barking. When I looked at Ripley, I noticed that she was barking at something near the edge of the bed. Her head was tilted upwards and her attention was focused.

"What is she barking at?" Sadhna asked finally.

"I have no idea, but she's looking at something," I replied. I continued to watch Ripley who would not stop barking.

A couple more minutes lapsed before I said, "Ripley, that's enough. You're okay," in hope of trying to soothe her. But she was relentless, and I was beginning to feel uncomfortable because it wasn't Ripley's normal behavior. Something was there and it seemed to be taunting Ripley.

Feeling distracted and unable to listen fully to Sadhna, I asked, "Can I call you later? There's something going on. Ripley's never acted like this before."

"Sure, of course. Call me when you can," Sadhna said.

After I hung up the phone, I asked Ripley, "What's going on?"

Ripley never took her eyes away from whatever it was that captured her attention. She was at the edge of the bed very near the area where I had placed the open bible. When I gave my attention to the area of her focus, I felt that there was something present even though I couldn't see anything.

For those of you who don't know me personally, I am very sensitive to energy. Ever since I was very young, I was able to feel the presence of beings that other people in my family could not feel nor see. There were many times when I was younger that I could actually see them, but now that I am older, I can only see them if I have my eyes closed. Otherwise, I can only feel them. It's bizarre and I don't understand the reason for it.

Because I wanted to see Ripley's instigator, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes briefly. Immediately, I saw what Ripley was barking at. It was a formless figure that was familiar to me. It was familiar in the sense that I had seen its form before. If you can imagine a very tall shadow with no distinct arms or legs as if the figure were wearing a hooded robe, then that was the shape standing at the foot of my bed observing Ripley and seeming to be fascinated by her. Because I felt that this entity was just standing there, I firmly told it to go away. But it would not budge. So, I tried once more in the most forceful yet composed tone I could muster. Still no reaction. It remained stubbornly immovable.

"Get out of here," I finally shouted. "You're scaring my dog." Not to mention frightening me, I thought.

I felt my heart racing and my breathing slightly rapid. I waited for a few seconds to see what would happen as I slowed down the effects of the adrenaline that had rushed through me as I yelled, and allowed my bronchioles that were still reverberating to settle.

To my relief, Ripley stopped barking and finally gave her attention to me. I knew that the entity was gone because I could no longer feel it. I picked up Ripley and told her that everything was okay. I looked over to my alarm clock which told me it was after eleven. Time for bed. Even though my breathing had normalized, I still felt a little shaken. I took the open bible, closed it firmly and set it back on the bookcase near my bed. It was too much of a coincidence that something came to my bedroom soon after opening it.

After I changed into my pajamas, I turned the light off near my bed and curled up under the comforter with Ripley. In less than a minute, I felt Ripley's body tense up. Before I could say anything, she got out from the comforter, off the bed and ran towards the doorway. My bedroom door was open exposing the hallway that led to the living room. Ripley was angry as her barking began again.

Oh crap, I thought. It came back and was hovering at the doorway. I sensed its presence again. Ripley's incessant barking made me feel angry as well. My anger was directed towards the entity that wouldn't leave my apartment. I sat up and turned the lights on.

"I want you out!" I roared towards my bedroom door. "Get the hell out! And leave my dog alone!" I trembled as the words came out of my mouth. I was livid. It's amazing the courage you can summon for the sake of your dog.

Once again, after a few seconds, Ripley stopped barking. So, I called her to come back to bed which she did obediently. As soon as she reached the bed, she immediately went under the comforter and snuggled next to me. I just held her securely which helped me calm down. I closed my eyes to see if there was anything at the doorway. Whatever it was was dissipating but still lingering. There was just a thin shadow. So, I visualized white light enveloping Ripley and I as I was taught to do for protection. Whether it worked or not, who knows. The only thing that mattered was the comfort I felt from the visualization. After ignoring the urge to go to the bathroom (I did not want to collide with the wisp of a silhouette that was still at my doorway), Ripley and I finally fell asleep without further disturbance.

What happened that night in my Reseda apartment had never happened again. But then, I never opened my bible to that particular page to ensure that unwanted entities stayed away. When my dad found out about what had occurred, he wanted to have my apartment blessed, which didn't happen. Instead, my dad got a priest he knew to bless me over the phone a couple of days later. I think the blessing was more for my dad's assurance than my own because I knew nothing else would happen to me as long as I kept my bible shut.

After that incident, I did ask myself these questions: did I invite the entity to come into my bedroom because I opened up the bible? Perhaps, some words in that particular page of the bible were enticing to spirits? Or was the entity already there and was provoked to reveal itself by opening the bible? I believe it must have been summoned by opening the bible, otherwise, I would have felt it sooner. And, Ripley would have definitely sensed it as well. She's like a cat in that regards. Witches have cats because of their ability to detect spirits, and therefore can be alerted.

Even though Ripley and I had never had another visitor from the non-physical realm again in that Reseda apartment, it certainly wasn't the last time I saw those shapeless entities. Regardless, they are harmless, unless you surrender your power to them, meaning you allow your imagination or fear to get the better of you. Whether they are evil or not is questionable. I still have yet to understand and accept with satisfaction the reason spirits lurk amongst us physical beings. What is their purpose? The last sinister entity I encountered was many years ago when I was in school for Chinese Medicine. The entity actually laughed in my ear when I was in a vulnerable state (I had needles in me since I was getting an acupuncture treatment at the school's clinic). I was petrified because I knew as soon as I felt it enter the treatment room that it was not friendly. But that's another story and no dog was included in that one.

Love, love your dog. If you don't have one, then adopt or save one. Then, on the ghoulish night of Halloween, pay close attention to your dogs. You may have a dog like Ripley who is catlike and able to perceive spirits or ghosts roaming about. If your dog starts barking with focused attention at an empty space, you better believe that something is present. Dogs hear, smell and sense so much better than we do. We are NOT alone. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Thank you for visiting my blog. Any comment is welcomed.

To Blossom

Through the years of working with my doggie patients and getting to know their owners, I find myself truly blessed in the relationships I have formed with many of them. I enjoy my time treating my doggie patients as well as conversing with their owners. The more I know about the owners the better I can assist their dogs in their recovery as the owners are a big component in that process. And, I believe it is also therapeutic for some clients as we talk about life in general. But there are some owners and their beloved dogs with whom I have formed close attachments making it so difficult for me when one passes on and departs our material world as we know it.

Almost a week ago, one of my doggie patients, Blossom, unexpectedly died. Blossom and her human mom, who I will call "T", are one of those clients with whom I have formed a close bond during the many times I have treated Blossom. Blossom, who was fourteen and a half years old, had her set of health issues. However, the last time I gave her an acupuncture treatment, a few days before her passing, Blossom was doing great. She was alert, affectionate and frisky. So, I was shocked to have "T" tell me that she had passed away. It left a heaviness in my heart the whole day. "T" suspected that Blossom had a stroke that took her life quickly. Fortunately for Blossom, it was sudden. Unfortunately for "T", the suddenness of her death was so devastating since she didn't anticipate it, and it didn't help that "T" was unable to say good-bye properly.

As I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, dogs come to us for a reason. They could be teaching us aspects of ourselves via their displayed behavior or by helping us to learn patience or find strength within us. Years prior when "T" was at the pound hoping to find another dog to help her get over the loss of another, Blossom came along. Blossom had chosen "T" to be her human mom even though there was another family interested in Blossom. It was as if Blossom had the foresight to know that "T" needed her, and therefore behaved so adorably cute making it difficult for "T" to resist her.

Knowing "T"'s history, there was a lot of hardship that she endured since childhood through her adult life. Her experience toughened her up and probably caused her to guard not only her heart but her whole being. Blossom's history paralleled "T"'s in that she also came from struggle and tribulation. Both she and "T" wanted a better, happier life. So, they were well matched. I suspect that having Blossom in her life, helped "T" slowly tear down the wall she had built around herself and rediscover living fully once again. Only a dog, who has a pure heart and loves unconditionally, has the power to draw us humans out from our darkness.

Oddly, "T" informed me that minutes before Blossom's death, she had said to Blossom, "How could I manage without you?" Blossom had reminded her mom that it was time for dinner. After eating her meal with much vigor, she went to the another room whereby the sound of a thud was soon heard. "T" and her husband found Blossom collapsed on the floor with her legs contorted. They couldn't help her because the life within her was already gone.

I am certain that Blossom's mom did not expect her rhetorical question to be answered with Blossom's death. However, because it was, it led me to believe that perhaps Blossom wanted her human mom to know that indeed she was strong enough to manage without her. It was time for "T" to claim the person she had "blossomed" to be and Blossom knew it. She was, of course, a very smart girl. And, because she knew it, she was ready to depart from her physical body. Blossom had accomplished her task in teaching her human mom what she needed to learn. "T" had told me a number of times how much she depended on Blossom. Sometimes, when we depend on someone, we forget that we can depend on ourselves to do what the other person had taken on to do for us. I admit that I have a tendency to do the same sometimes. For example, in the past, Augustine would normally take out the trash bins onto the street for trash day. I relied on him to do that. But now that Augustine is never home during the morning of trash day, I have to be the one to do it. Poor analogy, I know. It was the only one I can think of at this moment. But I hope it got my point across.

Because of Blossom's death, I could not help but think about the idea of death. I had a conversation with a friend of mine a couple of months ago about this topic. My friend was afraid of death because he saw it as the end of life as he knew it. He was surprised to find out that I had no fear of dying. I did not have the same belief as he did. I believe that dying is only the end of our physical body. But our non-physical self which is our consciousness, spirit, soul, energy or whatever you want to call it, continues to exist.

"Will I recognize you in your non-physical self?" my friend asked me.

"Yes, you will," I replied.

"How will I know it's you?," he asked.

"You'll know just from my energy," I said.

"How do you know these things? I've never read that anywhere," he said. (Clearly, we read different books.)

"I just know," I simply said.

My friend is not alone in his thinking. How WILL my friend know it's me? Okay, obviously I've never been dead before or least do not have the memory of being non-physical energy. But I have felt the presence of people who have died without actually seeing them. I knew who they were because individuals emanate a unique vibration or energy about them, and if you allow yourself to be aware of your feelings and trust them, you will recognize the energy of the person. So, if I were to die and my spirit decided to visit my friend, I know he will feel my vibration and recognize it to be me. When "T" came to my human office for an acupuncture treatment for herself the day after Blossom had passed, I felt Blossom's presence in the treatment room. I knew Blossom was there to comfort her grieving mom.

In studying Chinese Medicine, I learned that everything was energy or vibration, and energy is synonymous to consciousness in my opinion. In death, our corporal self (our physical body) dies while our ethereal self (our non-physical self or soul) flits onto the non-physical world until it is ready to enter another physical body. Therefore, nothing really dies. It just gets transformed into another form whether we can see it or not. This concept is not exclusive to the study of Chinese Medicine because I've read it in other books. And, really, if you think about nature itself, it is always transforming into something else. We understand this with water as it evaporates and becomes part of the air, i.e. humidity (yuck!) or a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly. In physics, the concept that energy is never lost but transformed is accepted.

Dogs are not so different from humans. They too have their ethereal self which travels into the non-physical realm until they decide to enter another body or their previous owners strongly call for them emotionally that they come back to visit temporarily. Have you ever sensed the presence of a beloved dead dog? The reason you can feel that dog's presence is because she is really there with you but in a non-physical form. Just because you cannot see the energy of the dog doesn't mean it doesn't exist. But you can feel it. It may be difficult for some of you to grasp this idea or believe it, and it makes no difference to me because everyone has the right to their own belief. However, if you can wrap this idea around your head that everything is just energy so that nothing or nobody living can really die but is transformed into a different state of being, then doesn't that give you some ease and comfort when you do lose a loved one? Maybe then, it would be easier for us to let go.

I loved Blossom also and was therefore saddened with the news of her death and felt the weight of grief in my heart. However, I refuse to look at Blossom's death as something final or negative. I would rather celebrate the love and lessons she had given to her mom and those who loved her and be grateful of the fact that now she is pain free from all the physical ailments that she had. But focusing on the good memories and finding relief from their ailments is a difficult behavior for many people when it comes to the death of their beloved dog. People tend to focus on their loss and feelings of emptiness which is a normal reaction to death.

One reason some of us cannot focus on the relief that our dog has gotten from death is sometimes our attachment to our dogs is stronger than the one we have with people we love, making the loss more severe. Also, we humans are selfish creatures by nature which means our needs supersede that of others. And, there is nothing wrong with being selfish because we need to be that way with regards to our health, happiness and overall well-being. I know that it's easier said than done. I would hope that when it's time for one of my sweet dogs to pass on, I will have the discipline and strength to focus on the relief that she/he has gotten from the transition. I told Ripley recently, since I was writing this blog, that if she were ready to go, I will be happy to let her go but that I would prefer it that she wasn't ready. Yes, that was somewhat conditional of me to say but as I said, we humans are selfish beings.

I know in my heart that Blossom is still with us as well as those other doggie patients of mine who are now in their non-physical form romping around "doggie heaven". It's not a figment of our imagination when we feel their presence especially if there was no intention of conjuring a memory of them. I've heard of people who have lost their beloved dog and then later on find a dog who behaved exactly like their old dog. And, they would swear it was the same dog reincarnated. It happens. As I said previously, energy and consciousness are the same to me. So, these dogs, in their non-physical form, who return to the material world in another body, had the consciousness to find their former owner. Amazing, isn't it? I find it so. I was told by an animal communicator that Elektra had come back to find me. Perhaps, in a past life (if you believe in that), she was my dog. It made me happy to hear that because it confirmed my belief that our spirit or energy lives on after death.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. Then, think about those documented accounts of people who have died temporarily and come back into their bodies to tell about their experiences from beyond. Most of them described after death as a peaceful and happy sensation. Sounds good to me. Since dogs are like us, I am sure they have similar experiences. I know that most of you who read my blog love, LOVE your dog as I do. I tell my dogs often, "I'm so in-love with you guys. Do you know that?" And, they do. I'm sure that's how "T" felt about Blossom. Blossom was appropriately named as she helped "T" to blossom just as all of our dogs have helped us to do. We become better human beings because of them. We peel the layers of ourselves to find patience, tolerance, strength, etc. because of the love we have for our dog. Consequently, we blossom much like a bud that unfolds its petals becoming a beautiful flower. Let us cherish and rejoice in their transition into non-physical when they are ready to do so. Let us replace our feelings of loss, sadness and loneliness to gratitude, happiness and fullness. Gratitude for the flower they helped us become. Happiness in knowing that they are relieved from their physical pain or discomfort and are completely healthy again. Fullness because they had enriched our lives with their presence. Let us not diminish what they have given us by focusing on the negative. It's the least we can do for our beloved dogs. Death is neither final nor dismal. We are part of nature, and like nature, we transform. Have comfort in that thought and know that our loving dog will always be with us.

Thank you so much for visiting my biweekly blog. I was in hiatus for the month of July. Any comment is welcomed.

Ripples

If you've read my profile, you would know that my favorite movie was Avatar. I loved everything about it, so I was bummed when it didn't win for Best Picture at the Oscars. Many people I spoke with about the movie said that it was a simple story that was unoriginal. Yeah? Well, it was still awesome! Its simplicity just made it easier to relay its message, AND it was the message that I loved so much. So, I was happy that it made megabucks at the box office because it's indicative of people being open to its message which was about interconnectedness.

One is affected by the other and therefore an action taken by one will have an impact on the other whether good or bad. It's like the ripple effect when you throw a pebble on a body of water, and you see the ripples of the water pulsating outward from where the pebble landed. Many individuals don't believe that their actions and/or thoughts necessarily affect a large number of people which is one reason people do not vote in the U.S. They don't believe it would make a difference. But each vote counts just as one action or thought can make a difference because the energy behind that one action or thought reverberates.

I loved the line in the movie, "I see you." The main characters of Avatar said it to each other at the end of the movie. My understanding of these three little words is that the characters see the essence of each other, acknowledging and respecting their own individuality but also knowing that there is a connection between them. It is that connection, an energetic or vibrational link, that exist in everything living which unifies us.

It seems to me that a growing number of people are looking for that connection with others and the environment in which they live. Many more people seem to be aware and concern about our affects on the earth, i.e. global warming. I believe this is the reason Facebook is so popular. It connects you with people with whom you may have lost contact. Although, I notice also that there are some "friends" who connect with you and then never hear from again after you've accepted them as a "friend." It is almost as if some people are trying to get as many "friends" as possible for their own ego rather than sincerely connecting with each friend, which would take a lot of time if you truly had over one hundred close friends. Perhaps, these individuals, who we never hear from again after accepting them as a "friend", are not ready to connect on any level other than an electronic one which Facebook or Myspace is. However, whatever reason they may have had to connect, the desire to connect was still there nonetheless.

Taking a microcosm of this idea of interconnectedness, I thought about the human body. Every cell in the human body has a consciousness whether you believe it or not. A cluster of cells is a tissue, a group of tissue is an organ and so on and so forth, finally comprising of the entire human body. As a comparison, you may consider a cell as an individual, a tissue as a family, and an organ as a group of families forming a society and so forth. Therefore, looking at all the individual cells of the human body, you may compare it to the population of people living in our planet. Respectively, the human body is similar to earth which sustains the people.

In Chinese Medicine, there is a life force or energy called "qi" that is ubiquitous in the body. Without "qi", there can be no body because it gives life to every cell in our body as it propels the blood to move, and blood contains the nutrients and oxygen which feeds the cells just as there can be no earth without the energetic force that maintains and sustains it.

How does a dog come into this topic? Most people consider their dog as part of the family. I certainly do. I consider each of my dogs as an individual. So, if something were to happen to one of them, it would naturally affect our family unit. I remember a few years ago on a Sunday morning. I had let the dogs out in the back yard because Morpheus and Elektra were barking at something to which I didn't pay attention, mostly because I was still half asleep. A few minutes later, I heard the sound of a cat fighting. I immediately ran outside to find a fairly big cat attached to Morpheus' face and chest. Morpheus was trying to pry off the cat whose claws were securely fastened on the sides of his face and chest. I screamed, "Away," at Morpheus who quickly stopped struggling with the cat and looked at me, which caused the cat to let go of him and hurriedly ran away.

Needless to say, Morpheus was injured. He had open wounds that were bleeding on his face and chest where the cat's claws were anchored during their fight. As Morpheus walked towards me, I noticed a limp in one of his forelimbs. Looking at Morpheus, I instantly panicked. Should I take him to the emergency? Fortunately, my fear and indecision only lasted a few seconds because soon after that I knew what I needed to do.

After helping him on our bed, I asked Augustine to wipe down his open wounds with hydrogen peroxide as I retrieved my cold laser and a pack of needles. The cold laser not only helps bring down pain and inflammation but it helps repair and heal open wounds. So, I was grateful to have it. I gave Morpheus an acupuncture treatment to calm him down since I could tell he was still frazzled from the fight as well as treated his elbow of the forelimb that limped. After his acupuncture treatment, I gave him an herbal antibiotic to prevent any infection from the open wound. I always have a bottle of the herbal antibiotic in my pantry just because it had come in handy in the past. As Morpheus rested, I wrapped his injured elbow to immobilize it. In the evening, I iced his elbow just in case.

Since I didn't want Morpheus jumping on and off the bed, I had Augustine put the mattress from our guest bedroom on our living room floor. That night, we all slept in the living room. Even though Morpheus was almost back to normal the next day, we didn't walk the dogs. I supposed we could have walked Ripley and Elektra but we didn't want Morpheus to feel left out. Being a sensitive boy, he would get a little depressed. Ripley and Elektra didn't seem to mind not being walked. They seemed to understand especially after I explained to them the reason. We actually started walking the dogs four days after Morpheus' injury because he didn't exhibit a hint of discomfort or limping. Of course, it was a slower and shortened walk. However, we continued to sleep in the living room for over a week to make sure that Morpheus didn't do any jumping. It wasn't very comfortable because Augustine and I were cramped with the three dogs on a queen size mattress. But we tolerated it for Morpheus' sake. Also, during the week, Morpheus got acupuncture treatment almost everyday. He was a happy boy because of it.

Because of Morpheus' injury, we were all affected by it in some degree. We had to change our normal routine to accommodate Morpheus. As a family unit, we are interconnected and therefore affect each other, whether it's due to a physical condition that limits either one of us or an emotional state that causes stress. The affect on Augustine or I can consequently influence our behavior with people outside our family unit just because of our interaction with others. And, those others may affect many more and so forth. The affect may be slight and subtle or profound and apparent. Regardless, there is an affect. Thus, depending on our physical, emotional or mental state, we can cause an energetic wave rippling across whether we are conscious of it or not. Most people are not aware of it. But we are all linked vibrationally.

Going back to the words "I see you," it's so much easier to say these words to my dogs and feel the meaning behind them than to say them to people. I don't know if you feel the same way or can relate to this, but when I talk to my dogs, and not necessarily saying these three little words to them, but just having a conversation with them, they are not dogs to me. I feel as if I am conversing with a consciousness that is unconditional love and happiness to which is what I am connected. I respect and acknowledge who they are as individuals but I know that we are part of each other, and this is why I feel their limitations when they are experiencing one and vice versa. We all have this unconditional love and happiness within us. We are just distracted. We have allowed our daily routines to takeover our consciousness making it difficult for us to "see" each other as we truly are.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. Then, think about all those people in your lives that you influence in one way or another. Yes, some of us are aware of how our actions and thoughts can affect our dog and vice versa. But we are less inclined to be conscious of them with the people around us. As I said, every living thing is interconnected. A diseased liver can affect other organs in the body and thereby weaken the entire body just as the contaminated Gulf of Mexico is affecting not only its sea life but also human lives whose livelihood has been lost. Certainly, other ramifications will emerge showing the affects of the oil spillage on other living things and elements of our earth. And, I am sure that the lack of foresight to have any safety back up plan that would have prevented the damage that continues to occur in the Gulf started with one person's thought who influenced others to think the same way. Let us be mindful of our thoughts and actions with ourselves, our family unit and outside of the unit because we do create energetic ripples that will affect everyone eventually.

Thank you for visiting my now biweekly blog. The managing of work, personal and home life with all of my wonderful activities made me realize that a biweekly blog is more realistic for now. Any comments is truly welcomed.

Reflection of Us

About a month ago, I listened to an audio by Deepak Chopra. It was the one about happiness. What caused my ears to perk up was when Deepak started to talk about Cesar Millan. Apparently, Cesar had told Deepak that American dogs were unhappy compared to Mexican dogs. And, what Cesar would do was put the unhappy American dogs amongst the Mexican dogs and that would normally do the trick. However, there was one American dog that couldn't get over his depression even after spending time with the Mexican dogs. Cesar thought it was odd until he discovered that the dog's owner was chronically depressed. Because of the owner's emotional state, the dog was unable to overcome his own depression. This made perfect sense to me since dogs are so connected with their owners, they become part of their owner's vibrational energy and in doing so help alleviate some of the emotional burden that the owner is carrying.

There was this doggie client a few years ago who had a beagle. The beagle had irritable bowel syndrome as well as a weak hind end. After the third treatment, the beagle wasn't improving much, so I started asking the client questions about herself. I found out that the client was a psychologist and that she too had a bad low back problem and was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome years prior. However, her finance was preventing her from seeking proper care which was causing stress in many aspects of her life. I wasn't surprised that both my doggie client and owner mirrored each other's physical ailments. It happens often. So, I suggested that she took care of her own problems to bring down her stress level which will consequently help her dog's own physical problems. Unfortunately, after that talk, the client and her dog never came back. Perhaps, she felt that I had no right interfering with her problems. My intention was to illuminate how her problems were spilling over to her dog who I was trying to help. Some people just don't like to be confronted with the truth.

Ordinarily, I would think about people like that client and I wonder if they were aware of their emotional impact on their dogs, and then feel sorry for the dogs. However, looking at a different perspective, perhaps our dogs come into our lives to put a mirror in front of us to help us see and scrutinize our emotional turmoil. With that in mind, I asked myself, which dog is a reflection of me? Or, are all of them showing parts of myself that I need to work on but am in denial? Hmmm, I would have to give myself some time to think about that.

About two months ago as I was speaking with one of my doggie clients, the topic of dogs coming into our lives for a reason came up. This particular doggie client has a cattle dog named Chopper. This client had never had a dog like Chopper. He was paranoid, always expecting the worse, and didn't show much affection, all of which were the opposite of the dogs my client was used to having. The other peculiar behavior Chopper had was a fear of men. My client couldn't understand this phobia because she had had Chopper since he was a very young pup and there was no incident that would cause Chopper to develop his phobia. Anyone who had to handle him had to be a woman.

Through the years of observing Chopper and trying to figure out the reason Chopper came into my client's life she finally had an epiphany just a few years ago. Please allow me to recount her story briefly. When she was a young girl, her stepfather attempted to molest her more than once. The last time he tried was when she was fifteen years old. He had chased her around the house and finally had gotten on top of her. Her mother wasn't home. Fortunately, my client was able to fight him off. As a result of her stepfather's last attempt, she tried to commit suicide. Luckily, what my client thought were her mother's sleeping pills were actually her diet pills of which she took a handful. Needless to say, my client lived but had lost fifteen pounds within a week due to the vomiting that occurred during the days that followed her suicidal attempt. She was completely dehydrated. Her parents never took her to the hospital for care and observation.

Because my client basically took amphetamines, she was revved up and talked continuously that she ended up calling her mother and telling her what had happened. Her mother didn't believe her but instead accused her of being in love with her own stepfather. How insane was that thinking? It's appalling that because some mothers are so insecure and afraid of being alone that they would rather be in denial about the truth. Instead of protecting her daughter, my client's mother sided with her husband which, of course, created a slew of emotional and psychological havoc for my client. Why would a mother not take her daughter's side? I don't understand that mentality. If you leave a husband, it would end the relationship. However, if you sever your relationship with your daughter, she remains part of your flesh and blood, and thus there will always be a connection.

My client thought she had worked through her past and had found peace within herself until Chopper came along. He became her mirror that reflected the issue she had not completely resolved. When my client finally realized the origin of Chopper's fear of men, her perception of Chopper completely changed and understood what a gift he was. He represented the wound that was still inside my client, and his behavior reflected the darkness in her life that needed some light.

I felt privileged that this client felt comfortable enough to disclose her personal history to me, and, of course, gave me permission to tell her story if it were to find its way in my blog. This client informed me that she was grateful for Chopper who helped her re-examine herself emotionally. She said that even though her fear of men did not prevent her from loving and enjoying men, the uneasiness towards men was still present. She knows now that she needs to continue working on her anxiety towards men as a result of her attempted molestation. Even though her perpetrator didn't succeed in sexually molesting her, she was traumatized regardless. She said to me, "Although I was never molested, I still had all those feelings of someone who was."

"Of course you would have those feelings," I replied. "You had to ward off an adult man when you were a teenager. That took a lot of courage, AND it was traumatic."

So, if dogs enter our lives to help us by becoming a reflection of us in order to give us awareness of what we are in denial about, then dogs are truly our "guiding" angels manifested. Their mere presence gently reminds us of what might be going on within us. They become a constant reminder until we are ready to confront and deal with our own issues that prevent us from living a healthy existence as well as continuing with our personal growth. Many times the answer we are looking for is right in front of us and we can only see it when we have the clear intention and readiness for it. It is as if your dog is a walking billboard parading your challenges in front of you. Yet, there are some people who do not see it and instead think there is something wrong with the dog.

"Why isn't my dog getting any better?" is what I would hear on rare occasions. When I hear that question, I'm thinking, "Well, what's going on with you that's hindering your dog's health?" Of course, out loud, I would ask in a more diplomatic way. It's funny to me that some owners do not see the influence their emotional state has on their dog. But perhaps it may be that they are unaware or refuse to look at their emotional state because if they did, they would have to do something about it like CHANGE! Not many people want to do that. They would rather continue their self-inflicted suffering since it's easier than changing because it's familiar and therefore comfortable.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. Then, if your dog is exhibiting a behavior that you have no clue where it came from, then look within yourself. You may just find the answer. The dogs that come into our lives, whether accidentally or by choice, have a a reason to be there. I consider them to be a "guiding" angel if they are selected to be with us by divine order to help us look at ourselves in a non-judgmental, subtle way. Our dogs allow humans to be less resistant in making an emotional inventory if they knew it would help their dogs. What I've noticed with the majority of my doggie clients is they are willing to look at any and all possibilities that may be at the root of their dog's behavior and/or physical problem because they love them so much. The consequence of that action may lead to their own enlightenment when the source of the problem points back to them. Many people take offense when a person confronts them of their problem. However, people soften up and are more likely to take responsibility for their behavior when they realize that their dog has been affected by their issue. Dogs are certainly one of our best teachers with regards to learning about ourselves because they teach us by their reflection of us in the most unassuming way.

Thank you for visiting my weekly blog. Any comments are welcomed.

Unbroken Family

As I was washing the dishes this morning trying to think about what to write for this week's entry, I thought about my family. I think my family came to mind because next weekend, they are coming to my house to celebrate the birthdays of my niece and myself. We always get together to celebrate all our birthdays which I believe is not a common practice for many families. Fortunately, we all get along for the most part but it wasn't always that way in the past.

Let me give you some background on my family. My parents divorced when I was sixteen. Initially, both my parents were hesitant to divorce because of my sisters and I. They had four daughters to consider. But because my sisters and I knew how unhappy they were with each other, we encouraged them to divorce. Thank god they listened to us because they were making us so stressed and miserable. Hence, we became one of those broken families which seem to be more common nowadays. My sisters and I stayed with our dad because my mom felt that he was in a better financial position to take care of us. But we visited our mom often since she found an apartment near us.

My mom and dad were on yelling terms especially when my stepmother came along and lived with us. It was uncomfortable to hear criticisms from your mom about your dad and vice versa. My sisters and I just listened and didn't take sides. However, when my eldest sister was about to get married, the day of her wedding rehearsal, I believe my parents realized that they had to get along if they wanted to maintain some sort of family. Also, I'm sure they were thinking about future grandchildren. Once they decided that they were going to put their bad feelings aside and make the family a priority, our family became closely knit. It didn't happen immediately but gradually through the years and with much effort. Before we knew it, our family became unbroken. My mom remarried but never had more kids. My dad remarried and had two more daughters.

Because of what happened to my family, it made me realize early on that the definition of a family is not restricted to blood relations. A family is a unit of people who love and care about each other whether they are a couple and their close friends, a married couple with a few dogs, adoptive parents and their child as was the case with Augustine, etc. A family does not have to consist of only the traditional husband, wife and children.

When a married couple with kids decide to divorce, ordinarily the mother gets the kids, even though that didn't happen with my sisters and I. My mother's decision to have us live with my dad was for our best interest. It was a selfless act on her part. As we got older, my mother's decision proved to be the right choice for my sisters and I as we were able to finish our education and become independent, responsible individuals. When I was younger, I never even thought about why we didn't live with my mom. I think it was because my sisters and I never felt that our mother neither loved nor wanted us. She always made it a point to see us or call when she hadn't heard from us.

This made me think about married couples with dogs. Who gets the dog if both are attached to it? Does the couple get alternate weekends or does the dog go to the most responsible, financially stable one? I would assume that dogs are treated similar to children with regards to visitation rights without the child support...or do they give "doggie support" also? I wonder...

I really don't know of a married couple who had a dog and decided to divorce. But I do know of a few couples who lived together and shared a dog. Normally, the person who owned the dog before they became a couple kept the dog after the separation. There's a couple that I'm thinking of who lived together and had two dogs. The girlfriend of the couple had a female dog before her boyfriend decided to live with her. They were together for five years in which time they had gotten engaged but never set a date for the wedding. During the fourth year of their relationship, they went to the pound to get another dog to keep the older female dog company. They ended up getting a male dog who blended so well with their family. Unfortunately, the relationship fizzled which gradually happened over the last year. The boyfriend moved out and took the male dog since they had more of a bond. However, every once in awhile the ex-girlfriend would set play dates to see the male dog who she missed very much. Because the older female missed the male dog also, the ex-girlfriend ended up getting another male dog.

I had told Augustine what I was writing about for this week's blog and asked him who he thought should have the dogs if we were to separate. Before he answered me, I told him that I would have all the dogs. And, he agreed.

"Really? Why would you say that?" I asked. I was surprised that he would agree so readily. "Wouldn't you want any of the dogs?"

"Of course, I do," he said. "But you notice things about them that I don't see."

He was right. Augustine doesn't touch the dogs the way I do. I know every bump and abnormality that my dogs have on their body. I pay closer attention to their body language so that I know when they need to go potty, not feeling well, etc. Augustine doesn't notice any of that.

"Would you visit them?" I asked.

"Of course I would. They are my babies too," he said simply.

What I forgot to ask was if he would pay "doggie" support, not that I would ask for it. But I was curious to hear what he would say. He'd probably give me his look that said, "Are you kidding me?"

Even though dogs experience grief and can get stressed from adjusting to just having one human parent, I don't think it's to the same extent to what a child or teenager may feel. I think dogs are so much more adaptable than children of divorced parents. It helps that they are focused on the present that the past doesn't really do much damage to them emotionally. I think what helped my sisters and I was that we were in our late teens and we had each other. Before my parents divorced, my sisters and I weren't very close. But afterwards, we leaned on each other for support which brought us closer together. I know that dogs have the same behavior of supporting each other within the family whether or not they came from the same litter.

In a way, people don't truly see their dogs as children because you never hear people say, "Oh yeah, we're staying together because of George, our pug." They would just divorce and may use poor George as leverage for something which would be similar to using kids to get something from the other person. However, people do stay in unhappy marriages for the sake of their kids. They think it's a sacrifice they have to make for the good of the kids. But they don't realize that they are showing their kids that it's okay to stay in an unhealthy relationship where one or both parents are miserable, distant or cold with each other. What kind of role model is that for a relationship? Even if the parents pretended that things were great between them, kids can see right through the pretense. They know the truth even though they may not want to admit it. How healthy is that for the kids? No one benefits in that situation.

But is it really for the kids that parents don't want to divorce or because of their own fear of change and they just use their kids as an excuse? Change is scary. Based on my experience, the kids don't get any "good" from unhappy parents who stay together. What they do get is uncertainty and wariness. My sisters and I felt and saw what the unhappiness did to my mom more than my dad. We had to be so cautious of our behavior when our parents were around each other. It was dreadful. I am sure it affected my sisters and I in different ways since we all perceive and interpret situations in our own way. But hearing and witnessing your parents argue frequently right in front of you is just awful. Gosh, it's the reason I waited so long to marry because I wasn't sure if I wanted to be in a marriage.

People change. Circumstances change. The only thing that stays constant is change. When I was younger, I would hear about people I knew whose parents were divorcing, and I used to think it was terrible. But as I matured and heard my friends talk about divorce, my only question was "Will you be happier?" If so, then get a divorce. The world won't end. Okay, I am not advocating to get a divorce immediately because I do believe in working hard at a marriage. However, if one or both are unwilling to work things out and there's much unhappiness, it's better to separate before things in the marriage become nastier. I truly believe that if the parents are happier divorcing each other, it will automatically trickle down to the children. Yes, kids always want their parents to stay together even though they know that their parents are wretched together but I think that's part of their immaturity. With dogs, they are happy when their owner is happy. It's so much easier to deal with them during a separation.

Sadly, sometimes unhappiness breeds anger and/or resentment in a marriage. I've seen it with my mom, my sisters, and friends who were married. Why put yourself through that? Life is too short to be harboring so much negativity. "The kids! What about the kids?!!," you say. Well, kids really need to know that, no matter what, you love them, you will be there for them, you will continue to provide guidance, discipline and structure for them. You are still a parent regardless of a separation. That is what my parents figured out on the eve of my sister's wedding which allowed them to put aside their differences and were there for my sisters and I. I cannot recall a time when either of my parents were not there for me in childhood or adulthood.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. A dog is part of the family, and when a family breaks apart, a dog's life, like a child's, is disrupted from what it knows of its home life. Depending on who gets the dog, that person needs to give the same love, attention, guidance and discipline in order to maintain normalcy for a better transition to a new life. This is what you would do for children of divorced parents as well. Unfortunately, some parents become so engrossed in their own emotional issues they cannot see past them. Consequently, they fail to meet the needs of their child causing more harm in that respect than the divorce itself. Fortunately, children and dogs are resilient. They can adapt to changes with the help of their parents. A family can always be redefined and become "unbroken". It is a matter of making the family a priority.

Thank you for reading my weekly blog. Any comments are welcomed.

Good Enough

Even though I've been back in Los Angeles for over a week, my internal clock thinks I'm still in New York. I've been waking up so early in the morning whether or not I want to that I've been exhausted. Today was actually the first day I got to do nothing but rest and reflect on what has happened to me in the last couple of weeks. I want to share what I experienced in New York at the Lincoln Center where I did my training because when I came back I truly felt an apparent shift in my energy and consciousness. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced that feeling of knowing that you have changed.

I really didn't know what to expect when I first got to the Lincoln Center except that being in the Bronx, I knew that I would be meeting and seeing some interesting characters. And, yes, there were plenty of different people that I would not normally find either in my human or animal practice. But being exposed to a certain population stretched me as an individual and practitioner for which I was very grateful.

Everyday for a week I was with addicts who were either in recovery, struggling to stay clean or in relapse. But despite their own situation, they were very supportive of each other, had an overall positive attitude and respectful of the staff and us, the trainees giving acupuncture to them. The Lincoln Center, which is an outpatient facility for addicts, gave a structured, organized setting with rules that the patients had to follow in order to continue treatment. I was surprised to see how well the patients adhered to the rules. Through observation, I realized these patients were just people. Unfortunately, there are many people who have a preconceived idea about addicts because of their behavior, appearance, associations, lifestyles, etc. They forget that addicts are people too who just happen to have an addiction and a different mindset.

There was this video that the trainees had to watch where Dr. Michael Smith, the director of the Lincoln Center, compared addicts to adolescents. I was fascinated by the comparison and didn't fully see the truth behind it until I started working on the patients. Dr. Smith had said that addicts like adolescents were insecure, wanted the approval from others, magnified reality amongst other things. Since addicts are similar to adolescents, it is important to have structure and rules for them because it provides a sense of safety and control from knowing what to expect. For the most part, safety and control are things they don't have in their own personal life.

A feeling of insecurity can be a monster in itself. Addicts become insecure because they do not like themselves. Their addictive behavior has negatively transformed them. With adolescents, they are insecure because they are still trying to figure out who they are. But both seek and want approval from others to make themselves feel better about who they are. They have yet to learn that they need to like themselves first and then find the security within themselves which will consequently dissolve their other issues.

With the feeling of insecurity, the issue of low self worth seems to go hand in hand. The question "Am I good enough?" is in the back of their minds. Many of the patients believe that they are not "good enough" which causes them to resort to their addictive behavior to feel numb or to escape from their own body since they are so uncomfortable with themselves. Sadly, a number of them have either been physically, verbally or sexually abused which further distorts their sense of self and image. Non-addicts with insecurity problems have better coping skills and choose a less harmful way to deal with their insecurities.

With regards to dogs concerning this topic, it made me think of Morpheus. Dogs also get insecure and there are causes for it but sometimes the insecurity is there for no apparent reason. I remember when the animal communicator talked to Morpheus. Morpheus' previous owner lived in a half-way house and couldn't keep him. I found out about Morpheus through my sister Dal, who also brought Ripley into my life. Morpheus was only four months old when I brought him home unbeknownst to Augustine. At the age of five, Morpheus had told the animal communicator that no matter what he did for his previous owner, he felt that he wasn't good enough and therefore felt insecure about himself because of it. He said he never felt loved with his previous owner. Isn't it amazing that a four month old pup would have that feeling?

But, the first time I touched Morpheus, he said that he knew what love was finally. I am always so astonished as to the intelligence of dogs. To be able to perceive what love is just from a touch is incredible to me. After what Morpheus had said to the animal communicator, I often made it a point to tell Morpheus about the first time I saw him. I would tell him that I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him walking behind his previous owner. "I knew you would be my little boy," I would say to him. "You're the best and I'm so grateful you came into my life." When I tell him the story of our first meeting and how I felt, I can see in his eyes that he too is recalling the time. Wouldn't it be wonderful for us humans to know that we are loved just from a single touch? I am certain that there are people so attuned with the energy within and around them that they are able to identify love from a mere touch. Unfortunately, if the average person were to recognize love, she would probably talk herself into believing that it wasn't love since we humans have a tendency to over analyze simplicity leading us to distrust what we feel.

Fortunately for Morpheus, he got over his insecurity. However, our receptionist at the vet hospital has a dog named Trekker who can't seem to get past his insecurity. Trekker is a great example of those dogs who have insecurities for no obvious reason. No matter how much love and positive rewards or reinforcements he gets, he remains insecure. I don't understand it because he is such a sweet, intelligent dog. The owner has had him since he was a pup and cannot think of any incident that would cause his insecurity. I supposed as there are people who are inherently insecure and have a difficult time feeling completely confident of themselves, there are dogs with the same issue.

When I was in my late twenties early thirties, I was insecure about myself. I got over it after I finished acupuncture school. I finally felt happy and complete with myself. And, I really liked who I had become. Not many people can say that about themselves. Being able to treat the patients with acupuncture made me feel especially good at the Lincoln Center since the patients truly wanted the treatment and attributed their ability to function better because of the acupuncture. It was extraordinary to witness what five needles per ear can do for a person. For the patients, it made them realize that they can feel good on their own, and feeling good is a start in the right direction. The direction that will lead to feeling comfortable with themselves to eventually liking the person they are.

Knowing how tough it is to deal with one's insecurities made me feel more compassion for these addicts. I know that they can be very manipulative and will tell you whatever you want to hear if they can get something out of it. Most addicts are smart and observant which help them maintain their habit. But beyond that, they are, as I said before, just people. I was able to see a part of myself in the patients that I treated as they struggled to deal with their insecurities and the consequences of them. Isn't that what allows us to have compassion? If we can see ourselves in someone else, then we are able to have compassion for that person because it gives us an understanding and a connection to that person. This is what I got from my experience at the Lincoln Center. How can a person not change with that awareness?

Despite the insecurities that dogs may have, they are overall happy without much effort. It seems quite the opposite for addicts. They have to work hard at attaining some sort of happiness in their lives. However, just like dogs, addicts learn to find happiness in the simplest things in life like having a meal or a nice bed to sleep on.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. Then, remember the feeling of being not "good enough" can be the root of a dog's or a person's insecurity which can grow into something so unmanageable that it creates a skewed perception of self leading to unhappiness. All people are basically the same. What makes them different is the choices they make which can lead to great or terrible outcomes. However, it's the lessons we learn from our choices that are important. Of course, for dogs, it's the human parents who make the choices for them. Unfortunately, there are some dog owners who don't always make the right choices for their dogs mostly because they are thinking about what they want instead of what the dog wants or needs. Regardless, we are all "good enough" and deserve the best in life. Finally, open yourself to other people you may not ordinarily associate with and you may just see a part of yourself in them. When that happens, you too will have the energetic shift that I experienced from my training in New York.

Thank you for visiting my weekly blog. Any comments are welcomed.

The Bright Side

It is so true that when things go bad, they just get worst sometimes, and the only thing you can do is stay positive and look at the bright side. I am compelled to share the experience I have had in the last twenty-four hours. Yesterday morning started out wonderfully. I woke up early, ran four miles on the treadmill and got ready for work. It was my day working with the doggie patients. I was completely booked since I was scheduled to fly to New York the following day, today. The morning was great. I saw my favorite doggie couple client who kindly gave me a week's worth of snacks for my trip. It was a sweet surprise. Thank you guys!

During my lunch, I checked my phone messages and was horrified to find that my flight was cancelled. After being on hold for fifteen minutes, I finally got to speak with a customer representative who told me that my flight was cancelled due to bad weather. Apparently, this particular airline knew in advance that there would be fog in New York at three-thirty in the afternoon when I was scheduled to arrive. So, I had a choice. Fly out of Long Beach Airport Saturday night and arrive at six in the morning in New York or fly out of LAX late Sunday night and get to New York early Monday morning. The latter was not an option since I was scheduled to start work at seven-thirty Monday morning. The obvious choice was flying out last night.

Because I had to be in Long Beach before seven in the evening and was only half packed, I had to leave the vet hospital early which meant I had to cancel my last three doggie patients. I felt extremely bad doing that but it was an emergency. I had to be in New York today. It was the first time I have had to do that.

Needless to say, I raced out of the vet hospital after my last patient and managed to speed well below eighty miles per hour in getting home. When I got home, I was like the Tasmanian Devil, tearing through the house to get things done. Augustine, who was at rehearsal, came home early so that he could take me to the airport. On the way home, he picked up some Thai food for me since I hadn't eaten. Well, the people at the Thai restaurant gave Augustine the wrong dish, but I ate it anyway since I was starving.

The whole time I was rushing around, my three dogs were looking at me anxiously especially Morpheus. He got so worried his stomach started gurgling. My heart just sank as soon as I heard it because I knew what he was feeling. After I had ran that morning, I had told him and Elektra that I would "spend some special time" with them since I was going to be gone for a week. They seemed so happy to hear that that both just started licking my face which told me they understood. So, having to leave that night caused a lot of stress for everyone. It's interesting to see how your dogs react when they know you're leaving. Elektra was following me around with a frown on her face. She was more sad than anxious. Ripley, on the other hand, was just observing me. She was bothered but kept it cool until I had to go.

After Augustine had put my luggage and carry-on in the car, he said, "Okay, let's go," which immediately gave me a minor anxiety attack.

"My dogs!" I exclaimed. "I need to say good-bye to them." As soon as I said that, Ripley rushed to me and wanted me to pick her up. I knew she was bottling her emotions. She wanted to come with me. So, I picked her up and said, "Oh Dew, I can't bring you with me. I wish I could." I kissed her several times and slowly rocked her as she cooed. Gently, I put her down and went over to Morpheus. By this time, Morpheus' expression was one of reluctant acceptance. He knew that he could neither stop me from going nor come with me, so he held his head down which I put between my hands and kissed his entire head. "I'll be back soon, my boy," I said.

Elektra had hung back and was watching me. I walked over to her and said, "You know I'll see you soon. I'm coming back. Mom's not leaving you." I massaged her orbital ridge, contouring around her eyes and down to her muzzle. She loves it when I do that. Then, I proceeded to kiss the top and sides of her muzzle. That seemed to satisfy her because her eyes softened and I sensed relief on her part.

During my good-byes, Augustine had gone outside to wait. He knew I needed my time with my babies. I miss them already. Before I walked out the door, I shouted, "I love you guys sooo much!!!" Then shut the door.

The bright side of leaving my dogs? There is none unless you count the thought of coming back to them...I take that back. The bright side IS Augustine will be there for them to cling on until I return. But, I could kick myself for forgetting to bring the picture frame with their picture in it which I had intended to put on the night stand next to my bed at the hotel. I supposed I could look at the pictures of them in my cell phone but it wouldn't be the same. I wouldn't be able to see their faces conveniently before and after I went to bed.

Even the initial drive to Long Beach Airport was somewhat upsetting. In my hurriedness to pack, I completely forgot to get directions to Long Beach Airport. Neither Augustine nor I were familiar with how to get there. Thank god for cell phones and sisters. I started out calling my sister Rowena, who lives in Long Beach, hoping to get directions. My call went directly to voicemail. So, I called my younger sister Dal. No answer. Finally, I called my eldest sister Jennifer in San Diego and was so relieved when she picked up the phone. She quickly gave me directions and wished me luck.

Okay, things were good again, or so I thought. A few minutes later, the car started making a rattling sound. "What the heck is that?" I asked Augustine. Instantly, I visualized the car breaking down on the freeway and me missing my flight. As quickly as that image came to my mind, I dismissed it. I did not want it to come true. "Oh god, please help me," I whispered silently. I couldn't believe what was happening.

"I don't know what that is," said Augustine. "I've never heard it before. I think something got caught in there."

I couldn't help but picture a rat gradually being torn apart causing that odd noise in the car. The reason I thought of a rat immediately was one had gotten into the same car a year ago. The rat had chewed away something related to the brakes. However, as we approached the airport, the sound had diminished, and I told Augustine, "I think the rat is nearly shredded." I took that as I sign that my aggravation was coming to an end, which was almost true.

The flight to Salt Lake City, where I had an hour stop over, was bumpy but not as turbulent as the flight to New York City. At that point, I didn't care anymore. Just get me to New York, I thought. And because I could not sleep, I felt like a drugged bloodhound with an extra droopy face that was becoming numb due to fatigue and stress. But, on the bright side, the flights were on time and I didn't have to run to the gate for my connecting flight because the same plane was used to get to New York. Very cool.

My last assault of the last twenty-four hours was the insane taxi fare from JFK Airport to my hotel. The total amounted to ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS!!! I was caught breathless as if someone literally squeezed all the oxygen AND the carbon dioxide from my lungs. Do these people not know we're in a recession??? I had to calm myself down and tell myself, "Look at the bright side. It's a business write off!" That will be my mantra this coming week since I chose not to rent a car and will neither take the train nor subway down to the Bronx.

I got this idea of looking at "the bright side" when I was waiting to depart from Long Beach Airport since there were many distressing things that had happened. I thought, if it were one of my dogs like Morpheus, how would he react to all these annoyances that continued to happen? I realized that he would always look at the bright side of the situation since he is such a positive being. Yes, my dogs were bummed that I left, but I am guessing that as soon as I closed the door behind me, they were cheering, "Yay, she said she loved us!!!" They are amazing in how they can maintain such a happy state which implies that they focus on the positive. They live in the now. It is the only place to be. The past is gone and the future is but our imagination, which is what Eckart Tolle professes. Thank god for dogs. Thank god for MY dogs! They continue to teach me through their own behavior.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. Then, look at the big picture when life is throwing wrenches and screws along your path and you find yourself stressing about it. Consider what your dog would do. Most likely, he will give a big bark, maneuver his way through his obstacles, and move on cheerfully. He lives in the now and knows how to appreciate it. In the panoramic view of life, what happened to me in the last twenty-four hours was just an irritation that happens to everyone, and the best way to respond to it is to let it pass through you instead of having it stuck on you. That's what a dog would do. As it turned out, everything was for the better. I was glad to arrive here in New York that early. It allowed me to walk around the neighborhood where my hotel is located. I was able to take a short nap. Best of all, it gave me the time to write this week's blog. Finally, watch and learn from your loving dog. A nuisance to him last but a moment. Thank dog!...I mean, god.

Thank you for visiting my weekly blog. Any comments are appreciated and welcomed.

Second Chance

When we found Elektra in our back yard seven years ago, one of my colleagues had said that it was good luck. I don't recall the reason it was good luck but placed that thought in the back of my mind until now. It would be more precise to say that WE WERE LUCKY to have found Elektra instead of her bringing us good luck. But isn't good luck just an opportunity to be happy? At least, I think so. If that were true, then every dog that comes in a person's life is a sign of happiness because it is your happiness that the dog will aspire to. So, what is the role that Elektra and all dogs who find their way to us play in our lives? Basically, their role is to help us become better human beings, and to find a dog gives us a chance to show our compassion by either opening our home to another dog or finding a good home for the dog. In our case, we did the latter.

Initially, we didn't want a third dog and therefore tried to find Elektra a home. Because I didn't want to bond with her while we were looking to place her in another home, she remained nameless and made her sleep on the bedroom floor near our bed. Of course, she slept on a nice, thick blanket. I felt a little guilty about that because Morpheus and Ripley were on the bed with us, and every once in awhile I would notice Elektra looking up at them. But overall Elektra didn't seem to mind. I'm sure it was better than sleeping out in the cold streets.

The other reason I felt guilty was I sensed that Elektra knew I didn't want to get close to her and yet she continued to be affectionate towards me. I figured her behavior was such because I was the person who fed her when we found her hiding behind our cactus tree. Actually, it was Morpheus who led us to her. Also, I was the one who bathed her that same day since she was filthy. I was a little hesitant before bathing her because I didn't know her temperament nor how she would react, but she was very submissive. She neither showed her teeth nor growled at me. She just stood there in the bathtub and allowed me to manipulate her limbs without any struggle but with complete trust.

After a couple of weeks of attempting to find an acceptable home for Elektra without much success, we decided to keep her. We didn't want to turn her over to the shelter because we knew what her fate would be there. By that time, Augustine had already formed an attachment to her. He even wanted to name her Foxy Cleopatra which I neither liked nor felt that it fit her personality. In the back of my mind, I thought, "I don't want her to be a hussy," which was the first thing that came to me when Augustine suggested the name. It sounds silly now but that's how I felt at the time. I think a name is important because it describes the character of the person or dog. I liked the name Elektra, taken from the movie of the same namesake, which seemed more suitable for her. The name made me think of one who is resourceful and a survivor which Elektra definitely was since she was living in the streets for about three weeks.

We learned through an animal communicator that Elektra had a previous home but was kicked out of a car near the wash which was a couple miles away from our house. The animal communicator didn't want to tell us about Elektra's life with her previous owners because it was too tragic to mention. She implied that there was abuse after Elektra outgrew being a puppy. She no longer received the same love and attention that she had. It's abhorrent how some people treat their dog differently just because they have grown older. It truly boggles my mind how some people think and behave. How can you stop loving a dog just because she is older? A dog blossoms after it outgrows the craziness of being a pup, and her personality emerges and becomes more apparent as she matures.

After observing Augustine and I with our dogs as well as Morpheus convincing her that she would be loved by us, Elektra decided to pick us for her new family. Apparently, Morpheus and Elektra had been communicating with each other without our knowledge. The animal communicator said that she was ready for another family as she was tired of roaming the streets and trying to survive defending herself from people and other dogs. She wanted a second chance at having a family and being part of a pack again. Every social creature wants a sense of belonging and Elektra was no different.

Everyone deserves a second chance at having a good life with people who love you especially when you've been abused and discarded because you are no longer considered cute and cuddly. Why does that happen to so many animals? It would be similar to parents relinquishing their child just because she was no longer adorable. Sadly, there are some psychotic people who have done that, however, I don't believe that occurs as frequently as the abandonment of dogs who have reached maturity. It's detestable behavior that shows the level of cruelty and lack of remorse in some people. These are the same people who see dogs as objects. I don't think they should have dogs at all just as some people should not have children since they are not equipped to be parents.

It's unthinkable that Elektra's first family gave her up. She is such a sweet, loving, loyal, and smart dog. I love her so much it hurts me to think of the abuse she received. I noticed all her little fears during her first few months with us. She was even afraid of the ironing board, and I shudder to think that something happened to her with one. Also, she didn't know what a ball was or how to fetch it. It took her almost a year of watching Morpheus play for her to learn. Thankfully, she blended very well with Ripley and Morpheus, even though Ripley had to let Elektra know her place in the pack since Ripley was top dog. I believe they have found harmony with each other and life without Elektra would disrupt the balance they have created.

Elektra makes me think of some of these foster kids who really don't have a home and are moved from one place to another. Unfortunately for them, because they are older, their chance for adoption is very slim to none just as older dogs are not so quick to be adopted. These foster kids are displaced beings looking to get a second chance in finding a home where they can belong and be loved. Their first family either was unable to take care of them, didn't want them at all or the kids weren't safe with them. Whatever reason it may be, it's sorrowful that these kids were removed from their original family, although for some it may have been the best thing for them.

Gosh, there are so many kids in need of adoption as there are a multitude of animals needing homes, yet people continue to pay an enormous amount of money in order to conceive as well as there are people wanting to pay for dogs from breeders. My intention is not to pass judgment towards these people. It is their choice to do whatever they wish. However, I just want to raise some awareness to the plight of these kids and dogs by stating the fact that there are numerous children in foster care and dogs in shelters, both of which are hoping to be adopted. What is it with wanting an infant or a puppy as opposed to an adolescent or a dog? If the adoptive parents are loving, centered, able to give guidance and discipline, then they will receive from the adolescent or dog what they have given. But then again, I do understand wanting to have a puppy. Since knowing Elektra, Augustine and I both wish we had her when she was much younger because it would have been terrific to watch her grow into her older years. Elektra must have been at least four years old when she appeared in our back yard.

There are a few of my doggie clients who choose to adopt only older dogs because they know most people will not. It comforts me to know people like them exist. So, I like to put my energy towards people like my clients with the hope that eventually more people will do the same and not care so much about the age of the dog but rather the dog itself and what it brings to them. Those of you familiar with the law of attraction know that where your attention goes, energy will flow towards it, and the universe will work hard to manifest your desired wishes, and one of my many wishes is to have no dogs in shelters but in loving homes.

I like to think that because "dog" is "god" spelled backwards that when one materializes in your life, it is a blessing from god or the universe (they are the same to me). It is a blessing because it allows us humans to help and care for one that needs it, and in doing that it helps us become better people. Isn't that what humanity is supposed to be about? To be of help and service to all beings in this world and not just to ourselves? It was our good luck that we were given such a wonderful gift with Elektra. She has given Augustine and I so much love that I cannot picture our family to be without her. I thank Elektra often for choosing us to be her new family. Every once in awhile I ask her if she's happy with us. Then, I let her know that we are so delighted to have her be part of the family, that she's my little girl and will never let anyone hurt her again. When I tell her these things, I know that she's listening and understanding because she would always respond by giving me a quick lick on my lips. It's bizarre how she knows exactly where to kiss me since she's never accidentally licked my nose, although that would be okay too.

Elektra works the hardest out of our three dogs. Yes, Ripley is essentially retired but she goes in and out of retirement. And, with Morpheus, when Elektra is barking at him to come and check things out with her, he looks at me sometimes as if to say, "Do I have to go out and investigate?" and I would just say, "You don't have to. Don't worry about it." But Elektra never hesitates. She is always the last one to go to sleep and the first to wake up. She's so vigilant of what's happening outside the perimeter of our house even though her area of protection is the back yard. I sense she is that way because she is grateful for her new home and she wants us to know that what she contributes is valuable. There are days when I know she's exhausted because I see her struggling to keep her eyes open yet continues to stay alert. When I notice that, I let her know that her job at that moment is to close her eyes, relax and be happy. That is the only way she will allow herself to decompress.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, then adopt or save one. Then, know that the dog you've adopted or saved will be so grateful to you that she will give you her undying love and loyalty. Also, know that it was your good luck that the dog picked you because she will do anything to ensure your happiness as well as take over your stress. Studies have shown that people with dogs live healthier, longer lives. It's an amazing gift they give us. What more can we humans ask for? Finally, not only is the dog getting a second chance at a new home with a loving family, but the family is also given a chance at experiencing the beauty of their new dog. Everyone benefits, and that's how it should be.

Thank you for visiting my weekly blog. Any comments are very welcomed.

Find Me A Match

This past Saturday at the vet hospital, my favorite client couple came with their two dogs, Ana and Dena. Even though I only treat Ana, a Rottweiler, her younger sister Dena comes along. You would think it would be for moral support but really it's to prevent her from creating damage to their house if she were to stay at home. I was told that she's quite a terror as she has a proclivity for chewing. But, if you were to look at her, you would think that she was just a curious but well-behaved little dog with a sweet face that says, "I'm innocent." Of course, looks are deceiving sometimes.

I bring up this couple because during our conversation, I happen to mention that I had no idea what to write about for this week's blog. So, they started bouncing off some ideas. Then the wife said, "What about relationships," which I had thought about earlier that morning as I was driving to work. The wife was referring to romantic relationships. This made me think of that website that matched single dog owners with each other. I don't remember the name of the website because I didn't pay much attention to it. I was already married at the time and had no need for it. But I thought it was a marvelous concept. If I were single, I would certainly want to find a partner who also loved dogs or at least had the capability of loving dogs, otherwise the relationship wouldn't work for me.

I think about my single friends who are all looking for a mate, and a number of them have tried those matchmaking websites and still have yet to find someone. With all the people in this world, you would think it would be an easy process to find a partner. But boy, it's tough and I do not envy their situation. I remember being single and having Ripley made it tolerable because she was my constant companion. Gosh, I certainly do not miss the downside of a relationship or dating which was the heartache after a break-up. It was agonizing, unless of course I was the one who initiated the break-up. It's true that time is a great healer. But, it also helped to be busy and to surround myself in nature, which I did with Ripley.

Perhaps single dog owners should have their dogs find them a match. They are a fine judge of characters and can weed out the good from the bad. I remember when I was dating this older guy who I'll just call the attorney. Ripley must have been less than two years old. When the attorney first came to my apartment, Ripley refused to greet him. I thought it was odd but figured it was because he was a stranger to her and was unsure about him. But after a number of times of having the attorney come over, Ripley continued to stay away from him. She even barked at him a couple of times when we were just lounging on the couch which really surprised me because she had never done that before. In retrospect, I should have paid close attention to Ripley's behavior because the attorney turned out to be a cad to put it mildly.

After the attorney, I would watch Ripley's reaction towards any guy I dated and brought home. I decided that she would find me a match. Of course, when Augustine came along, she loved him, probably because we went on a lot of hikes together. I recall when we had an animal communicator talk to all our dogs a few years later, Ripley had mentioned that she knew I would end up with Augustine. She felt relieved that I finally met him because she made it her responsibility to find me a partner. The animal communicator said that every time I took Ripley to the park, Ripley was trying to show me off to potential mates. I thought that was hilarious because I went to the park for Ripley, who apparently was moonlighting as my personal matchmaker. So, Ripley had said that after I met Augustine, she wanted to retire in luxury because she felt that her job was done. She didn't have to worry about me any longer.

Speaking of matchmaker, I have to confess that there is a reality show that I love to watch called The Millionaire Matchmaker. Yes, I am not immune to reality shows. But at least I only see a few of them and not on a regular basis. Every time I watch The Millionaire Matchmaker, which isn't often because I forget it's on sometimes, Augustine would say, "I can't take this," and would walk out of the living room. He cannot understand what the fascination is that draws me to this show. Honestly, I get a kick out of Patti, the owner of the Millionaire's Club and the one who finds these millionaires a match. She is so direct with them. She tells them if they have a commitment issue, needs to start dating people their own age, is unrealistic about what they want, etc., and she has no problem dropping them as a client since she has a waiting list of people who want her service. Also, I like the fact that she takes only clients who are seriously wanting to find their true love and are ready for marriage but just don't have the time to look for themselves.

The fact that The Millionaire Matchmaker is on television is indicative of the difficulty in finding that special someone. I think it would help if you get your dog to find you someone just as Ripley was doing. Your dog knows you best, even better than yourself. Your dog has witnessed and experienced your every mood and choices. Sometimes we are blind to our flaws, which we all have, and we kid ourselves that we are one way when we're really the opposite or we want a quality in a person that really isn't good for us. In any case, none of those things help when you're looking for someone who will fit the person you think you are. But your dog knows your true self. She sees right through you. There were times I would do something I know I shouldn't have and when I would look at Ripley, she would be giving me an expression that said, "Why are you doing that?" or "Are you sure you want to do that?" and all I could say to her in response was, "I don't know. I can't help myself."

In many cases, when we date, we tend to date the same type of person and I'm not just talking about appearances. When I think back of all the guys I dated, they were very similar in their looks, intellect and overall attitude. It was as if I were a broken record trying to make it work with the same kind of guy which of course was destined to fail. I was consistently choosing the wrong guy because it was so familiar to me and I didn't want to get out of my comfort zone of dating a different type of guy even though it was better for me. Then, Augustine materialized. He was so different from all the guys I dated. Maybe with the help of your dog you will be led to a different kind of person with whom you may be more compatible.

There are a couple of my female clients who wish that they could find someone like their male dog. I don't blame them for feeling that way. Their dogs are loving, loyal, honest, emotionally available, and not afraid to make a commitment. They sound like they would be a perfect man. Too bad there isn't a conversion machine that would turn these dogs into men. But then if there were a machine in existence, how would an Akita and a Golden Retriever look like as men? I cannot imagine. All I know is one would be Japanese and the other a Caucasian.

I'm sure you have heard the saying, "When you stop looking, the right person will come along," or something like that. I believe this to be true because it actually happened to me. I was very hurt after I had broken up with this younger guy I had been dating. So, I focused on myself, studies and work. I did a lot of meditating, exercising, journaling and taking lots of walks with Ripley. Before I could even think of going out with someone else, I met Augustine. I wasn't even looking. Maybe that's how it works. I needed to work on myself first, feel complete and content with who I was, and then suddenly I attracted the right person. I've heard so many stories of that happening. I believe that right person shouldn't complete you as an individual as many people seem to think. He should just be the icing on the cake who will every once in awhile challenge you to become a better person. And, Augustine has certainly stretched me to become a better person whether I liked it or not. But that seems to be a natural process in a relationship especially in a marriage if you want to make it work.

I wonder how dogs choose their mate. Do they go by what they smell or the energy that the other dog emanates? However they choose, I'm sure they are not as picky as people. Although there are some people who should have been more selective when they chose their partner. It's funny that Ripley was never really smitten by any male dog. At the park, when Ripley was younger she would occasionally run around with other dogs but briefly. It seemed as if she grew tired of them and wanted to move on and be on her own. She reminded me of myself sometimes in that respect.

I am not a relationship expert but I am very observant and listen well enough to understand the dance of dating. Besides, I dated enough guys and waited a long time before I decided to get married. These matchmaking websites have good intentions and are wonderful in connecting two people together which is the easy part. The hard part is once you do get together, how do you determine whether the person is your match for life? Let your dog help you out with that. As I said, dogs are superb judge of characters as well as exceptional listeners. I know I talked to Ripley many times when I was single, and sometimes just hearing your words out loud gives clarity to the situation.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. Then, if you are single and are looking for a mate, allow your dog to lead you to a possible partner. Who knows your dog may already be working at finding you a match without your knowledge. If you're already dating or have begun to date someone, make sure you pay attention to your dog's behavior around that person. Your dog has an excellent radar for "evil" and will prevent you from wasting your time and probable heartache. If you are single, don't look to someone to complete you as a person or make you happy. The relationship will not last. Find yourself first, feel whole and happy on your own, then the right person will appear. I firmly believe this. In the meantime, you have your loving dog for support and companionship.

Thank you for visiting my weekly blog. Any comments are welcomed.