Day 451

Miss Lilly had a spring in her step tonight. After a long walk by the river this morning, followed by a romp in the yard with Ranger, I did not expect her to be full of energy tonight. It could have been the cooler evening air or, perhaps that put some pep in her step, or just maybe there were no encounters today to "weary" her soul.

When we have our Therapy Dog visits, both Lilly and Ranger are exhausted by the time we get home. Of course, there is always a bit of walking, but that doesn't seem to be the issue. Meeting, loving, empathizing and interacting with people seems to drain their spirit for a bit. They return home, grab a drink of water and head right to a couch to snooze and rejuvenate their being. After an hour or so, they are back to their usual, happy selves.

It seems to me that humans have similar responses to helping others. Volunteers at hospitals, schools and churches often discover their "happy exhaustion" after serving. Individuals in occupations where people need their care and direction (nurses, teachers, wait staff, etc.) can also find themselves tired and underappreciated. The list goes on and on.

The take-away is quite illuminating for me. Those who give of themselves often put their own needs on the back burner. Instead of heading to the couch to "lick their wounds," like Lilly and Ranger, they survey the world and move towards their next selfless act. The world benefits from all of those lovely people, but there is a point of burnout.

A suggestion from my Goldens:

"Go out and make the world a better place, but remember to take care of yourself. Mama couldn't help many people with only an empty leash in her hand. She needs us to be at our best so we can make people smile. Roll in the grass, chew on your favorite toy or get some scratches behind the ear! Whatever fills your empty HAPPY TANK, don't let the gauge go down too far!"

Wisdom from the Goldens!