Day 589

This morning my twin Goldens headed to their respective venues and the smiles that met them were contagious!

First, Lilly meandered down to Walker Residence where every face she encountered was alight with warmth. On the walkway between the two buildings, there are a number of residents who enjoy the view. One gentleman would always enquire where Lilly's room was. After telling him she was still deciding which floor would work best, we finally told the gathered crowd that she chose the Penthouse! Now the jokes are rampant and the smiles even wider!

Next, Ranger headed over to Mercy Hospital where I made a concerted effort at counting the smiles he brought forth. I lost count at about 25 and we had not even signed in yet! We visited waiting rooms, heart patients, hallways galore and anyone walking our way. After losing count of the number of smiles, I started to notice the type of smiles that appeared when Ranger approached...purely joyful and delighted!

Thinking back to those smiling faces, it occurred to me that the Goldens receive much more genuine smiles than their human counterparts. The smiles we saw today were humbling in their beauty and so naturally honest that my heart melted over-and-over. To witness those faces touched me deeply...all because of a couple of pups.

So then, why do those Goldens bring such pure happiness to the people they encounter? Why can't humans get the same response? Thinking deeply about those smiles, I decided it was due to several reasons:

*The Goldens are purely innocent in nature.

*The pups want nothing in return.

*Those furry faces and big, brown eyes glow with love.

*Memories flood the person who meets the dogs.

*Dogs are the last thing people expect when they are in a hospital and they are pleasantly shocked when they see those big heads and wagging tails.

*The Goldens approach with so much love on their own faces.

Looking at this list, there are only a couple of items that humans could work on to get those joyful smiles. The best we can do is to possibly greet people with genuine joy at seeing them and allow our love for people to shine through.

We can all learn so very much from our animals. Simply by watching their interactions with others and ourselves, perhaps we can use them as our mentors. New goal: Be like my Goldens and, whenever someone approaches me, look at them like they truly matter...because they do! I will be watching for those smiles of joy to return my way as I try to be more and more like the Goldens!