I recently began a topic entiltled 'It's a sad sad world' in which I reflected on the nature of the world and on how it was becoming a 'big brother' state (note I meant not the commonly watched TV program which aims to ridicule, but the book 1984 by George Orwell in which people must follow the rulings of the state without question). I was going to add to this post but cannot find it, so instead I begin anew with some observations from my weekend which suggest not all is bad with the world.
It was a very emotional weekend for myself - I had many miles to travel to see my nan who is ill in hospital at the other end of the country, a nan whom I love dearly. So of course, I was eager to see her. She almost belongs in a different world to myself, but a world I was comforted to hear is linked to mine by several aspects, maybe the most relevant to this site being through our love of animals.
My nan is somewhat confused at times, yet I was pleasantly surpised to discover that she could talk with amazing clarity and fondness about my uncles dogs (of which he has several). It gave us a common ground with which to appreciate life, and through our conversation my nan was able to travel clearly through the past to the present day, all because of our fabulous four-legged friends. They are more valuable than I could ever even say.
Through our conversation we also touched upon the topic of my brother who has learning difficulties, and finds it hard to communicate. Dogs who help my nan travel seemlessly between past and present, also helped my brother. When he was young my parents were told he would be unable to walk as he grew older. Dogs, it seems, had something to do with changing this. When my brother was 4, my parents decided to get a dog. My brother who found it hard to communicate with the rest of the world, was suddenly able to get up and take this small puppy for walks around the garden, and had a friend for life, a friend who helped him develop confidence, and opened up a world of conversation for him. People who would have otherwise considered him stupid, unintelligent and worthless were able to converse with him about something special to them, something which unites many of us on this site, their love for their four-legged friends.
So although on the one hand this world has become a world of distain, hatred, moderation and 'political' correctness, there are also many special moments that make us a the human race connect for a brief moment, and that is in no small way down to those special creatures who are probably sitting at your feet as you read this! Oh I wish the dogs could run the world - life would be much more simple....
It was a very emotional weekend for myself - I had many miles to travel to see my nan who is ill in hospital at the other end of the country, a nan whom I love dearly. So of course, I was eager to see her. She almost belongs in a different world to myself, but a world I was comforted to hear is linked to mine by several aspects, maybe the most relevant to this site being through our love of animals.
My nan is somewhat confused at times, yet I was pleasantly surpised to discover that she could talk with amazing clarity and fondness about my uncles dogs (of which he has several). It gave us a common ground with which to appreciate life, and through our conversation my nan was able to travel clearly through the past to the present day, all because of our fabulous four-legged friends. They are more valuable than I could ever even say.
Through our conversation we also touched upon the topic of my brother who has learning difficulties, and finds it hard to communicate. Dogs who help my nan travel seemlessly between past and present, also helped my brother. When he was young my parents were told he would be unable to walk as he grew older. Dogs, it seems, had something to do with changing this. When my brother was 4, my parents decided to get a dog. My brother who found it hard to communicate with the rest of the world, was suddenly able to get up and take this small puppy for walks around the garden, and had a friend for life, a friend who helped him develop confidence, and opened up a world of conversation for him. People who would have otherwise considered him stupid, unintelligent and worthless were able to converse with him about something special to them, something which unites many of us on this site, their love for their four-legged friends.
So although on the one hand this world has become a world of distain, hatred, moderation and 'political' correctness, there are also many special moments that make us a the human race connect for a brief moment, and that is in no small way down to those special creatures who are probably sitting at your feet as you read this! Oh I wish the dogs could run the world - life would be much more simple....
how so very true i think for once this is something all forum members can agree on dogs never judge you do not care what you look like in the morning and take our every day stresses and strains on board and never question why we might be feeling down and are always ready to lick the tears away
