A person can learn a great deal by observing the actions and inter actions of their pets. People who do not own pets miss out on a great deal. They miss out on companionship and unconditional love. They also miss out on the lessons these animals teach each and every day of their lives.
My current teacher is a 12 and a half pound, brown and white, long legged Jack Russell Terrier named Rosie. She has taught me many valuable lessons in the 13 months in which we have shared life together.
The first lesson she taught me was it takes courage and persistence to over come a life threatening disease. Rosie was six weeks old when she was introduced into my life by a friend. He had a friend who had received Rosie as a gift, but after two weeks he and his wife realized they would be unable to provide a home for Rosie. The friend new it had been a little over a year since I had had to put my beloved companion of over 14 years to sleep because he was suffering from incurable cancer. I had started checking out local shelters and websites for rescued animals. But I had not taken the step to go and visit any of the animals I had seen online. After searching for a couple of months I decided I would wait and see if one came to me. Shortly after making that decision I received the phone call telling me about this adorable little puppy that needed a home. Naturally I could not resist. It was love at first sight. She was so tiny and so spunky.
Just a little over a week after Rosie and I were united disaster struck and I learned my first lesson. She was diagnosed with the deadly Parvo virus. The vet explained to me that treating her would be costly and he could not guarantee she would pull through. I immediately responded that we had to do whatever it takes. “I could not just let her die.”
He administered medication through an IV and she spent four long days in his care. I was allowed to visit her twice a day and stay for about an hour at a time. During this trying time she exhibited courage. She showed she had the courage to fight, the will to live. As I watched this five pound little ball of fur I realized I was witnessing a true fighter. I learned it takes courage and a special kind of inner strength to face death and win the battle to live. Some people may be skeptical than a little tiny five pound pup can teach a full grown person such a lesson, but that was indeed the first of many lessons Rosie had in store for me.
Rosie bounced back from the throws of death, literally. Days after returning home she began to run and jump and play like nothing had ever happened. She began to put on weight and fill out and develop into a muscular, healthy and happy dog. Now she was ready to teach me more lessons.
She taught me to embrace each day with wonder and expectation. When Rosie awakes in the morning she stretches and then wags her little tale and runs for the door. She is eager to get out and explore what's up in the world that day. She sniffs and runs and jumps as if to say. Hey it's another great day and I'm happy to be alive. Her approach to life made me stop and think about how often we allow other factors to dictate our mood. Yes, one could argue Rosie literally does not have a care in the world because I take care of all her needs. That may be true but how many of us have our needs met and are still unable to enjoy each new day and approach it with a positive attitude as opposed to a negative view? Rosie has taught me to greet each new day with anticipation and wonder.
Persistence is another lesson we can learn. Anyone who owns a Jack Russell can tell you these animals are small but hey are big in persistence. If Rosie decides she wants to do something, well at times there is just no stopping her from accomplishing her mission. This can be very frustrating for the person dealing with the persistent pup. However, I have come to realize that in order to accomplish our goals sometimes we have to be as persistent as a Jack Russell Terrier. We have to keep after what we are trying to accomplish no matter what kind of obstacles we face and no mater who tries to keep us from accomplishing our goal. That never let up attitude is what leads to success.
Yes, a person can learn a great deal from a Jack Russell Terrier like my Rosie. All it takes is the ability to observe and realize the valuable lesson we human beings can learn from the beautiful creatures who share our world and our living space with us.
