Creating Love / Passing It On

The dogs in my apartment complex are mostly little happy lappy ones. A few bark … a lot. Most don’t. They have to be walked, fed, bathed, trimmed, etc. without fail. They are, by all appearances, supremely loved. And they share that love with the many of us who prefer to live without the responsibility of taking care of a four-footed fur ball. Oh, and there are cats here too. But that’s another story.

When I walk myself, I do have the pleasure of having each one of these fluffy puppies strain at their leashes to get near me (and anyone else) who might scratch their ears or back. It’s my pleasure to greet them all. Their pleasure, for whatever reason, gives me a lift. Helps me experience a connectedness to an intangible warmth, and I always smile.

I would love to share this special experience between myself and everyone in the world. That joy after meeting and greeting. Knowing we are sharing or have shared a moment never to be repeated. Hopeful that it will occur again in the future.

That wish is what urges me to smile at everyone I meet. Even over my mask. The transformation in others when I purposely widen my eyes and catch another’s gaze for a second gives me as much a feeling of shared love as scratching floppy ears and a scruffy back. A wave of gratitude crashes over me during and after all such encounters. While I appreciate candies or flowers or chocolates (and who doesn’t?), being seen and acknowledged is, to me, much more heartfelt.