DOG DAYS
Here we are suddenly at the summer solstice and here in New England, we finally have weather that feels like summer. Being an active volunteer with my therapy dog, Rudy, I believe that he has the right idea about work. This morning we went to our local high school where the students were taking their final exams. They were stressed out, anxious, and tired. As soon as they saw Rudy, their body language softened. They smiled. They got down on the floor. They were glad to see him. And while their exams weren’t forgotten, they were put in perspective.
Rudy has only been a therapy dog since March, when he turned a year old, so he’s still new to this work. But he threw himself into it. He had lots of hands touching him at once. He was in a strange building. As I shared his story: one of nine puppies in a litter rescued from Tennessee, he did the real work just by being there.
He is now sound asleep in the bed by my desk. He’s resting until our next adventure. He’s willing to go anywhere I go because we’re a team. We trust each other. We look out for each other. When I noticed him getting tired, I told our contact at the high school that it was time to leave. So like Rudy, take time this summer to stretch out, relax, find times to do nothing, and notice how restorative that is. See how it helps you be present when you’re working. Enjoy your dog days!