Has your dog ever gazed up into your eyes?
Every now and then my puppy stops, stands still, and looks up into my eyes. Sometimes he wants that last piece of chicken on my plate, sometimes he wants me to get off the computer and play some fetch. But there comes a few rare moments where he just seems to be looking directly at me, simply appreciating my presence.
While I fully understand that my puppy is an animal and not a human being, something inside me makes me want to do the best for him. This is easier said than done.
Remember the people in college that ran past you early in the morning? Rain or shine, even in the freezing winter wearing running shorts and a tank top? I was not one of them. I was the one sleeping in and savoring the “five more minutes” under the warm covers. Spare time meant extra time on the computer, not walking or jogging outside in the rain. Imagine my dismay when I found out that a puppy needs to go out 3-4 times a day if not more. Imagine my horror when I learned that a dog needs to be walked every morning and evening for at least an hour a day. And to add icing to the cake, I live in a city known to rain, rain, and rain.
I never imagined how expensive having a puppy could be. This includes vet bills, flea treatment, toys, food, snacks, ect. As a recent college graduate working an entry-level job, budgeting is hard enough as it is already. For the first time I found myself scouring ads for coupons and calculating cost per unit.
When I leave for work my heart breaks as I leave my puppy home alone, and when I return tired from crunching numbers my puppy is exploding with energy. Each day puts me through the same weary cycle of hardships.
But when it’s finally time for bed and my puppy crawls in with me, when I wake up next to a warm ball of fuzz with half-opened sleepy eyes, when my puppy licks me and is happy just to be with me! I know that somehow I will find a way to make ends meet and enjoy just simply being, breathing with my puppy. As I deal with work, bills, hardships, whatever stress the world throws at me, I know that deep inside I am silently free.
