The line "Dog is man's best friend" did not actually swallow me in the deepest before. With all honesty, I had hostility towards dogs as a kid, afraid of what they could do and grossed out by their dirty appearance. Not until I had one and became the biggest plot twist in the past years.
I have this dog I named "Bruce," which came up in my mind after creating a long list of unique pet names. Bruce was a crossbreed product of a Shih Tzu and a poodle, and his signature long, black hair made him scary, both to people and house invaders (I'm talking about rats and insects). Long before this dog came into my life, I didn't know important things or even the simplest virtue, which is patience. I didn't know how to love unconditionally nor to be gentle to those who are around me. I didn't know how to sacrifice or if I could even sacrifice myself for the life of others. I didn't know that the world is as big as my dreams and that the cages I thought I had built are good ones but, in fact, not. I didn't know how to take care of someone, split my time every day, and pause if exhausted. And lastly, I didn't know that love could be this big, that everything would be possible just to protect it.
He was a training ground and the best thing that life has given me. After years of trying to establish a connection with him and trying to get rid of those past mindsets, Bruce changed me in a way that no one can do. The first thing he taught me is patience, and this is why I can say dogs are good training ground. I spent my past years having kids in our house and taking care of them. I was dumbfounded when I realized there are more silly and clumsy creatures than kids being self-centered in a home that wants to be just peaceful. Taking care of Bruce was a chaotic one, from his being a picky eater to his habit of chewing almost everything in the house. He also pooped in my bed and peed on the floor multiple times. It was messy, chaotic, and frustrating, so I made a choice. And that is where my patience started to grow. It took time training him, and it was after three sacks of treats that we finally had a healthy bond. It took me a tank of sweat and a roller coaster ride before he realized that he has to listen and cooperate. And even if it took me a lot of impatience, I found myself in my most patient version after those days.
Other than that, Bruce has taught me about how expansive love can be and that it could persevere any storm for the sake of not losing it. When this dog got diagnosed with distemper, even the building in my eyes collapsed. I was at my worst rock bottom when I saw him lying in a clinic we don't often visit, and I just accepted the fact that I cannot get rid of that illness. I never thought I would love him more because of that. I used all of my savings just to make the vet take care of him well and sold all the clothes in my wardrobe to gather money. I even sacrificed my meals just to buy canned foods for him, even if it means a loud hunger for me. I asked for help from anyone I could ask, tried all herbal remedies, and desperately cried to God in our church just to save him. I was crazy and mad during those times that I no longer cared for those things around me but Bruce.
Well, he recovered two weeks after confinement, and now he is as silly as he should be. He barks louder than before, and the house is more chaotic but full of love. This dog taught me what love is and the true meaning of it—that love is not always the gentle days of being together but also the days that are full of storms. That love doesn't have to be expensive but simple in its unique way of giving us prosperous life. That love is in the sacrifices you can make, and that love is truly unconditional.
There are things that Bruce taught me that I can no longer recall but are still inside of me as I navigate my daily life. But more than that are the lessons he taught that changed my perspective on life and the others I helped. Patience, understanding, unconditional love, knowing how big the world is, and how good and inspirational life is are a few of the things this simple dog has taught me. With his shiny little fur and with all the wavelengths he breathes when barking, I am excited for the future lessons he will give. The journey to growth is still running, and with Bruce, my buddy, everything is possible.
How about you? How did dog/s change you? Share it in the comments and let the world know how animals can change us beautifully.
