Читать книгу Leashes and Lovers - What Your Dog Can Teach You About Love, Life, and Happiness - Sheryl Matthys - Страница 14

When was the last time you... just... played? Played without worry or regret; played without twice checking your email or texting on your Crackberry? Dogs play all the time in their own way, depending on breed, age, and health. Dogs play as often as possible.

Which is not to say that our sole purpose for existence should be to run around sniffing each other’s behinds. But can we not learn a little something from the art of being playful?

I know what you’re thinking: How is playfulness supposed to foster communication? Quite simply, playfulness is the cornerstone of relaxation. And just as a bit of exercise every day is necessary for a dog to be healthy and happy, so, too, is some time for play. After play, we feel both winded and refreshed, joyfully exhausted yet exuberantly alive. All such feelings lead us to relaxation and feeling open and charitable to new ideas and new people.

Here’s a quick experiment to prove my case: Let’s say you are going on vacation for nine days. If you’re like me, you will spend a full week or two before your departure date running around like a chicken with its head cut off. There are deadlines to meet, which of course you have to meet earlier now because you’re going to be gone. There are bills to pay, cash to withdraw, plants to water, clothes to pack, and did I mention those deadlines to meet?

Now let’s say, on the day of your big trip, three people call to chat: your mother, your friend, and a co-worker. But you have no time, and so you cut them short, snap at them or, more likely, let their calls go straight to voicemail.

Fast forward nine days and you arrive back home, refreshed and relaxed after you have had some playtime on your vacation. Sure, you’ve got email to read, piles of work on your desk, but that can all wait until tomorrow. For now, you’re still basking in the glow of a fresh tan and content with the heady scent of cocoa butter that still infuses all your dirty laundry – which you’ll also get to tomorrow.

Now, let’s say the same three people call you: mother, friend, and co-worker. Rested, relaxed and content, you’re much more likely to a) pick up the phone, and b) actively, even energetically communicate with them. And not just one or two of them, but likely all three, because you’re so refreshed and relaxed. Just look at how your perspective on life has changed with a little change in circumstances.

Including five to ten minutes of simple “play” time daily will lead to small miracles in your outlook and attitude toward others – all thanks to your dog. That look from your dog is saying, “Did you play today? Let’s go!” This doesn’t have to mean a game of fetch – there are lots of ways to play. I have Greyhounds, and the last thing they know or care about is retrieving. The same goes for me, which is one of the reasons we’re a perfect match! I’m talking a quick wrestle with your dog, a fun walk, some belly rubs, or running around the backyard – whatever seems a playful start for the both of you.

The most amazing thing happens when you play: it usually leads to laughter, which is the best gift you can give yourself and others. Your dog’s mission is to share all of herself with you. Why not let it be part of your mission, too? Your dog lives her life wanting only to make you happy. Take that natural happiness philosophy and incorporate it into your own life.

If laughter does not come at first, then it’s an exercise to build on. During the first few play sessions, you are not to stop the “play” until at least one laugh is involved! It’ll become more natural as your sessions progress, even in just the first two weeks.

As children, we knew how to do this naturally. But we lost some of that knack with maturity. Unfortunately, most adults only laugh ten to fifteen times in an entire day, compared to a child, who laughs about 300 times per day. Let your dog awaken your inner child and unleash the dog in you!

Laughing and playing with your dog can lead to:

•reduced risk of heart disease

•decreased stress

•lowered blood pressure

•a boosted immune system

•a natural painkiller for your system

•a massage of abdominal organs

•a natural anti-depressant

•reduced blood sugar levels that help prevent Type II diabetes from developing

You may want to ask yourself what’s stopping you from gaining all these benefits right now? Well, set the book down and start bringing on the laughs and play – even if it feels stilted at first.

One of the best benefits of laughing is that it can actually make you look younger, and that’s reason enough for me to do it more! While laughing, your facial muscles are working out, which increases the blood flow around your face and makes your complexion healthier.

Need I say more about the importance of playfulness in constructive communication?