I’m a faithful reader of the daily paper in regular print form. Delivered to my back door old-school. It’s a part of my morning ritual to sip tea, get caught up and reconnect with the world and her inhabitants. I read pretty much every part of it including the sports section. And of course, the “life and culture” section complete with daily horoscope and a version of “Dear Abby.” Sometimes I just skip the “real” news and go straight for my horoscope/voyeuristic jam.
In a recent Saturday’s edition, there’s a column by a national interior designer. All about decorating and the like, how to make your home an expression of you, and entertaining at home. You probably have one in your own local newspaper. She has decided opinions – as she’s entitled to – about what colors go with what, size and shape of furniture in a room and what not to do. There’s a long list of the latter. Again, I’m certain she feels qualified in offering her views about the inside of a house based on her experience. I often find myself agreeing with her assessments of “what not to do” with regards to certain topics such as color and how to make a small room look bigger. Not that this makes me the expert she is by any stretch. However, I do believe that my experience as an animal communicator would be something of value to her.
We diverged quite decidedly, she and I, when in a recent column she advocated for a pure-bred dog over a shelter animal. Because of the way the shelter dogs acted with her when she “test-drove” them. Fearful mostly, and probably due to the shelter environment in which they found themselves for whatever reason. Primarily, it was stated in the article, she wanted a “dog that adores” her. Don’t we all. Except she forgot one important ingredient in that elusive human/animal bond: expectations.
I can’t tell you how many humans I’ve partnered with who have unrealistic expectations about not only their animal companion but their relationship as a whole. It may surprise you that the majority of behavioral issues are due to the human, not the animal. Humans can be clueless about our effect on a shared environment. Particularly when the being we’re with speaks the very different language of energy.
While I’m happy for the animal she chose I can’t help but think as a decorator, she was looking for yet another household accoutrement. One that would complete either her or her perspective of her home and/or life. And I do sincerely hope that she and her new companion live happily ever after. Animals should not ever be as easily changed as the paint on the walls or furniture in the room. They are so much more precious than that and deserve nothing but to be adored by their human. Not the other way around.