After a long stretch of hot summer days, I woke up to the sound of it and was surprised for a second, then I welcomed it in. I made a cup of tea, sat outside with my puppy, and we just watched it come down.
It was her first rain. Ever.
You see, she was not scared. She was just unsure. She decided the grass was entirely too wet and, with great dignity, peed on the concrete instead.
Then I tossed a ball onto the lawn. She thought about it for exactly 0.1 seconds, and went straight in.
Halfway through the drizzle, she looked back at me. And I promise you, her eyes said it. Oh. It’s not that bad.
She played until she was done playing. Then she came back, curled up at my feet, and the two of us sat quietly watching the rain together.
That was our early morning.
And it got me thinking about first times.
Sometimes the unfamiliar thing looks scary right up until we’re standing in it. Sometimes life hands us a lesson we did not ask for. Like the rain, it is not something we control. It is simply here. And we get to choose what we do next, hide from it, or step in and find out it’s not that bad. Maybe even play a little.
I sat in gratitude for a long while this morning. For the rain. For the cool down. For the quiet. For getting to watch a small creature meet the sky for the first time.
And I thought about a conversation I had earlier this week, with someone facing a difficult decision. They had tried everything. Walked through every possibility. It was not the outcome they wanted, but it was the right decision. I told them so. This is the right thing to do. I do not know if they needed my validation. I said it because it was true.
Here’s the thing I keep learning, over and over. Sometimes the right thing and the wanted thing are not the same thing. Holding both, the grief and the rightness, is some of the bravest work a loving heart ever does.
Hug your pets today.
I am soaking up some extra cuddles from my puppy, who has been unusually mellow today. Perhaps she already knows what took me years to learn.
Rainy days are for slowing down.
— Dr. Lily
A Note for New Puppy and Kitten Parents
Watching a puppy meet the world for the first time, rain included, is one of our favorite parts of this job. If you have a new puppy or kitten at home, the Baby Pearls Program is our six month guided path to set them up for the healthiest life possible. Microbiome testing, nutrition support, vaccine titer testing, and direct support from Dianne every step of the way. Send us an email at info@integrativepet.com or visit integrativepet.com to learn more.
