Oh, my goodness. This struck a chord for me! Our family adopted a rescue from Mississippi last December, our first dog ever. Talk about life-changing! I describe him as the embodiment of Joy, which I really need because I have ongoing anxiety and chronic illness that makes it hard to stay active. Playing with him and taking him for inter…
Oh, my goodness. This struck a chord for me! Our family adopted a rescue from Mississippi last December, our first dog ever. Talk about life-changing! I describe him as the embodiment of Joy, which I really need because I have ongoing anxiety and chronic illness that makes it hard to stay active. Playing with him and taking him for interesting long walks were some of my best "treats." Then 6 months after arriving, he tested positive for heartworm, which is potentially fatal and means several months of treatment, sedation, restricted activity... not much doggie joy. So now, I'm working to find those "treats" you described for myself and new "treats" for him.
Your essay was a good reminder that I can notice and appreciate those everyday treats, which we modern folks consider necessities but which are really indulgences and luxuries. Like flavored coffee or lovely smelling shampoo. Just acknowledging it as a treat would probably trigger that little dopamine hit that we end up looking for in more and bigger "treats" as time goes on.
That’s a great point! Much of this practice is just recognizing the very fact that it’s a treat at all. And I’m so sorry about the heartworm. Poor little guy.
Oh, my goodness. This struck a chord for me! Our family adopted a rescue from Mississippi last December, our first dog ever. Talk about life-changing! I describe him as the embodiment of Joy, which I really need because I have ongoing anxiety and chronic illness that makes it hard to stay active. Playing with him and taking him for interesting long walks were some of my best "treats." Then 6 months after arriving, he tested positive for heartworm, which is potentially fatal and means several months of treatment, sedation, restricted activity... not much doggie joy. So now, I'm working to find those "treats" you described for myself and new "treats" for him.
Your essay was a good reminder that I can notice and appreciate those everyday treats, which we modern folks consider necessities but which are really indulgences and luxuries. Like flavored coffee or lovely smelling shampoo. Just acknowledging it as a treat would probably trigger that little dopamine hit that we end up looking for in more and bigger "treats" as time goes on.
That’s a great point! Much of this practice is just recognizing the very fact that it’s a treat at all. And I’m so sorry about the heartworm. Poor little guy.