There is a lot of debate about Thanksgiving Day and whether or not we should celebrate it considering the history of this country. I understand it and I agree that this country was founded by other countries that were not kind to the natives (and that is putting it mildly). That said, I do like to celebrate Thanksgiving, albeit in a vegan version. Why? Because any day that causes us to take a pause and reflect on things we have is a good day. To me, it is about being grateful. It is about recognizing that no matter how hard things are in the moment, we can learn and improve and do better in the future. It is about taking inventory of ourselves as well as material things and putting things into perspective. The animals do this every day.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with a repeat client, Pippa. She is a lovely girl and her human wanted to check in to be sure that Pippa was okay with a move they were about to make. She also wanted to encourage Pippa to walk together instead of waiting for a group. I found this last issue to be very interesting, and as usual, it comes down to the human. According to Pippa, her mom is much more relaxed when she is walking and talking with friends and their dogs. The walk becomes more leisurely and less of a chore. Pippa also loves to hear her mom's voice and laughter! She finds walking in silence uncomfortable. During our session, we discussed this and found ways to compromise.
The overall conversation with Pippa reminded me that animals are not about material things, although Pippa does like to receive gifts and new plushies. At the end of the day, what is most important to Pippa is that her mom is happy and she is with her mom. After that, she wanted to know about some new people, and would they share their food (oh Pippa), and whether they would be able to see Grandma often. Yes, she wanted "things", but that was secondary.
Pippa's questions were for informative purposes. She wanted to get a visual of things before jumping right in. She also showed us people and other dogs that she was wondering about, reminding us once again that animals are very aware of their surroundings. They have thoughts and feelings, likes and dislikes, and friendships.
Pippa's most poignant remark was "as long as you are there, it will be fine." Pippa is happy, excited, and ready to embark on this new chapter with her human; grateful for her human, her family, and her friends, and yes, grateful for treats and presents too!
Wishing everyone a thanksgiving day willed with gratitude, love, kindness, and a promise to do better in the future, for the future of humans, animals, and the planet. May every day be filled with thanksgiving.
