4 Year Partnershipversary.

Tags

Animal, Anniversary, Blessed, Blind, Disability, Drama King, Free spirit, Guide Dog, Healing, Help, Hiden Dissability, Kindness, Labradoodle, Life Purpose, Positivity, Thanks, Unconditional Love, Vision Impairment, Working Dog, Worth the wait

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There are certain dates of our life events that will forever stick in our minds. We will always remember what we were doing, who we were with, what we were wearing or a certain heightened sense that lays dormant in our memory when a key moment in time happened. For me, when I have just finished playing peek-a-boo (which I don’t do enough of) wearing a dress covered in yoghurt and Wotsit crisp crumbs curtesy of my gorgeous granddaughter, in the house full of my noisy family chattering away loudly, I remember the time the phone rang. Here was the change that I had been dreading and eagerly awaiting in equal measures. Guide Dogs had matched a suitable dog for me and wanted to arrange to meet up. Seventeen months of waiting was over. My “unusual” guide dog was ready to change my life forever.

I still remember that uneasy feeling in my stomach after putting the phone down. We had arranged to meet sweet Minster a few days later but I was unsure if I was ready to let the world know that I had a sight problem. When you keep the severity of your disability hidden away from loved ones for so long, the reaction from others is always a fear. What if they do not believe you? Worse still, what if they pity you? What if I did not connect with the dog? What if the dog did not like me? All these fears were just imagined problems that never cropped up anywhere in life, only in my head. The truth was, life was going to change forever, but in the most positively magical way possible.

When Minster (or Munch as he has become affectionately known as) came bounding through the door on November 17^th, 2016, he had decided that this partnership was going to work. He would be the boss from day 1 (apart for in Angus the cat’s world, where Angus remains King) and our training together would go fine. He would make himself at home on whichever soft furniture took his fancy (shhh, don’t tell his trainers), he would command affection by the Royal wave of his paw, create hilarious drama at every opportunity and project his adorable personality to loved ones and strangers alike. He was here to stay and be the neon sign to the hidden disability that I had kept to myself for 38 years. Subtlety has never been his strong point, but authenticity has.

This 100mph couch-potato is the gift that keeps on giving. Giving me immense independence to carry on working and living a full life, seems just a tiny part of this gift. The partnership we have developed has allowed us to go places I would never have gone alone. He enabled me to win Bronze for Wales in VI Bowls, which was only possible after he gave me the confidence to admit that I had a VI in the first place. His extroverted charm enabled us to meet people who I never would have met without this secret weapon to everyone’s soul. He helped me write an award-winning book that would never have been written had my disability remained hidden. To sum up what mind-blowing ways Guide Dogs help their owners (or their maids like in our relationship), is not an easy task but what I would say is this. They are portals into lives that we never would have lived without them.

4 years on and Munch still bounds though life in his puppy like ways, causing mischief and mayhem wherever he goes. Whilst on harness however, he is the perfect poster boy for Guide Dogs, taking his work life serious as he sashays with pride in harness. He has prevented my previous frequent falls and injuries, stayed by my side in hospital after surgery and healed many a broken heart in work and not once has he stopped being a natural born healer. The beauty in his sweet nature is that his loyalty belongs to whoever needs it at that moment in time. It seems that his Guide Dog duties are just one of his life purposes as he glides through life being of services whatever way he can. He is the best teacher that anyone can be blessed to live with in everyday life.

So, thank you Munch for deciding that our partnership would work from day one. You have given so much to me, family, friends, our clients, and strangers alike by never being anything but unconditional love. We still have a few years left of a working partnership and I promise when you do retire you will be even more spoilt than you are today. The doggy kisses and love that you dish out freely will return to you in abundance as your Karmic bank account grows day by day. I promise to up my daily worshipping rituals to you each day and keep telling the world about the superpowers of you and your hero Guide Dog colleagues. Thank you for the eternal gift of being you.

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Why Fear Should Never Win

Tags

Acceptance, Animal, Connect, Disability, Expansion, Fear, Full Circle, Guide Dog, Hidden Disability, Labradoodle, Life lessons, Unconditional Love

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If I had stayed in fear, I may never have a chance to kiss this gorgeous velvety nose.

Dogs were never really my thing. I never really ‘oohed and aahed’ over cute little puppies running around. This was partly because I could not really see them but also partly because I never really trusted them. I did not have full blown Cynophobia, but they were not my favourite animals to be honest. I was never bitten by a dog growing up or was scared in anyway by any, but I always had a healthy respect for the fact that they could turn if they felt threatened.

We had a cross Collie whilst growing up called Cindy who was with us for ten years until she passed when I was around fourteen. She was more human than dog so I kind of forgot that she belonged to the canine kind as she would come with my brothers, friends and I as we played Fox and Hounds and football. I was surprised that she was never scouted for a top team as she scored more goals than any of us put together. Cindy was one of us, other dogs were not.

I had a healthy respect for the ability of dogs to turn if they were threatened and therefore kept away from them.  This was one of the stumbling blocks that I was hanging onto when I decided to apply for a guide dog. The  main excuse I gave myself from applying for a guide dog was that maybe people I knew would question why I suddenly turned up with a guide dog when the majority of them never knew I had been registered as severely sight impaired (previously known as registered blind)  for a number of years. The other main reason was however that I was not sure if life with a dog was really for me.

What would happen if I did not learn to read the dog’s signs of distress or if they were too hot and frustrated? What if I could not pick up on the cues that they needed something that I did not know about? What if the dog did not like me? What if the dog did not like coming into schools with me for me to carry out my job? The negative ‘what if’s’ snowballed more than the positive ‘what if’s’ until I got over myself and started turning the scenarios on their head and saw love instead of fear.

What if I tuned into the dog’s happiness as soon as I met him/her? What if I used my knowledge of their dislikes to arrange our lives to avoid them? What if our intuition synched so that we naturally picked up on each other’s needs? What if the unconditional love between our both species had no limit? What if the dog became part of the staff at the schools that we worked in and had his/her own fan club? My natural positivity trait began to chase away this alien negative frame of mind that had invaded my life. How would I know what life would be like with a guide dog if I was not going to try?

Three and a half years on, it is easy to look back and laugh at the imagined fear that nearly kept us apart. This face that lights up the life of many may have rested upon another sofa if I had not opened my mind beyond the sticky pit of fear. His strands of hair that lay across the house may have had to be vacuumed up by another hoover and his muddy paw prints would have to be mopped up into another bucket. Most devastating however may have been that his big squishy velvety nose may have been kissed by another pair of lips.

Facing you fears and doing it anyway will always bring about the unexpected and for me, it was magical. This mischief maker was worth the gamble. Turning fear into love may not be that hard after all.

Ever Increasing Family Love

Tags

Animal, Animals and Children, Blessings, Children's Milestones, Childrens Acceptance, Christmas, Family, Gratitude, Guide Dog, Labradoodle, Unconditional Love

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So, our much-awaited Christmas present for 2020 is going to be a new baby in the family. What a perfect way to end a less than perfect year.

My second grandchild is due on 23^rd December which is something the whole family is excited for. How do I think Munch will react? Well if his relationship with Arna-Rae (my first born granddaughter) is anything to go by, I think they will be best friends.

Munch came into our lives when Arna-Rae was just nine months old and they hit it off straight away. He went to sniff her when they first met and the fact that she had some crumbs on her tights meant that this was going to be a match made in heaven. A new playmate and a food dropper all rolled into one was Munch’s idea of heaven. She was as gentle with him as he was with her as they played alongside one another stealing each other’s toys.

Arna-Rae started taking her sweet first steps as Munch walked alongside her and when out and about, she would hold onto his Guide Dog harness whilst out on their adventures. He was there for some of her firsts and is still there alongside her as she grows into the beautiful little girl that she has become. As she tries to dodge his sloppy morning kisses, she cradles his head so sweetly in her loving arms that have held him a multitude of times.

She says Mam (shortened version of Mamgu which is Welsh for grandmother) and Munch and not just Mam as she knows we come as a pair. She has only really known me with Munch as my Guide Dog and never on my own so to her, we are one. His happy helicopter tail rotates with delight as she comes crashing through the door as he knows his food dropping playmate has arrived for some fun. They know and love each other deeply.

When Arna-Rae’s brother or sister arrives and grows with the family, the only problems that I can see occurring are as follows-

• Who will be the first to snuggle up to him?
• Who will have the most fun toys to play with?
• Who will be most generous with food?
• Who can throw the ball the furthest?
• Who will be most likely to go on mischievous adventures with him?
• Who will be most likely to find his stinky anal exhales funny and not run away from him?
• Who will be most likely to run the fastest with him whilst out on free runs?
• Who will take up less room on the couch with him as he stretches out?
• Who will give the best belly rubs and nose kisses?
• Who will love him even when he is being a monster?

The truth is they will both be there each of these times as he will be there for them. The beauty of animals is that they are only capable of unconditional love. One may give him the most food or throw the ball the furthest, but he will love them both equally as will I.

The last four years as a grandmother has been the best. Getting to witness Arna-Rae grow form a tiny 4lb 12oz newborn into a beautiful, loving, kind four year old who has a wonderful sense of self  has been magical and I am so excited to see what her enchanting sibling will also bring into life. This Christmas will certainly be a perfect ending to a less than perfect year.  

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Return to Happiness

Tags

Animal, Blessings, Disability, Dog, Drama King, Food, Guide Dog, Happiness, Helping, Hidden Disability, Humour, Kindness, Labradoodle, Meaning of lIfe

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Just like that, we were back.

Fifteen weeks on and we were back in the shop like nothing had happened. To us, not much had changed. Blurs (or people, as the sighted like to call them), sauntered around on their own missions to get out of this supposedly germ infested place as we were guided by our friend’s  voice to watch out for people and objects.  Having been blessed to have friends, family and online shopping services do our shopping for us over the last fifteen weeks, we had not stepped foot into a shop, so I was unsure what to expect. Munch had not been in full work mode for a while, only slipping on his harness for short walks around our home area. I was a little apprehensive of how he would feel going back into full work mode, but he amazed me on how eager he was to get back.

Practically yanking me into the place that he once resisted going, I guessed this shopping trip would be easier than I had thought. The history of Munch and shopping has not always been a positive one but clearly this break has made him re -evaluate his acceptance of the place that fills his belly with love from all the edible goodies all around. As we swiftly passed the clothes section that he has never been a fan of, his prancing pace quickened, avoiding the two-legged race with perfection. A quick sniff out of his favourite vegan cheese that he is rather partial too and we were well on the way to the second aisle. All the fears I had of not being able to see to social distance was gone as my harness wearing hero worked in partnership with my vocal coaching friend as they helped avoid upsetting anyone by walking into them. Munch was back on top form.

I swallowed the guilt of the questioning thoughts that I had been having of Munch becoming deskilled with his time off from proper work as he proved me wrong. With ever prancing paws he placed on the shiny supermarket floor, he was obviously on a mission. As we glided through the scent of  celery, cotton fresh candles and freshly baked products from the bakery that alerted my olfactory gland to where we were in the supermarket, I knew that Munch had this all in hand (or his yeti like paws more like). The calling of the third aisle became too much for Munch as he quickened his Olympian worthy pace as we rounded the corner resembling a pair of pivoting ice skaters. It was only when the stench of dried meaty canine bliss and cat nip covered treats intruded my nostrils that I realized what Munch’s hurry had been all along. He had finally come home to the aisle where his heart was. The pet food aisle.

His longing to return to this sense filled sanctuary was plain for all to see. His excited panting echoed along the tins and boxes that lined the shelves of his favourite thirty plus foot space EVER. The smell of new tennis balls wafting from their net packaging alerted me that we had reached his favourite toy section. For some strange reason, he took his time to put his best paw forward in this part of the shop and was in no hurry to leave. It was only after a pack of treats and new toy later, that I knew he would be ready to sashay through the rest of the shop. We remained here for some time for him to savour the moment and reconnect to what his food driven soul had been missing. His return to normality had begun.

If there is one thing that Munch has taught me during our time together is that appreciating the simple things in life is all that matters. Following this helicopter tailed happy chappie throughout the rest of shop I realized that witnessing his happiness and the happiness in others is what life is all about. The simplicity of the effects of a smell, the feeling of returning to contentment and focussing on the basics in life is all that is needed to return to happiness. I knew that when his sloppy kisses covered my face when he leapt into the car after the shopping trip, he was thanking me for taking him back into bliss. The return to happiness is sometimes simpler than we think.

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Munch’s Happiness Maifesto

Tags

Animal, Dog, Guide Dog, Happiness, Life lessons

Happiness is a state accessible to all, but only chosen by some. If we sat back and let animals teach us a thing or two about the correlation between simplicity and happiness, we would live in a far more tranquil world. Here are the top ten tips that my furry Guru has taught me over the last nearly two years.
1. Treat everyone as your friend. I admit that licking everyone you see may not be the best option but meeting people with fresh enthusiasm brightens up the day for you both.
2. Explore, explore, explore. Doing the same thing in the same way everyday will only bring the same results. Stale minds can find it hard to find happiness in habits so expand your horizons to find happiness in places that you never knew existed.
3. Don’t stress about fiction. Differentiate between fact and fiction. No animal spends time fretting over the “what if’” in life but only deal with situations that that are in front of them. Why worry about something that may never happen instead of enjoying what is?
4. Live for the now and forget the how. Don’t plan your life away just do what makes you happy. Animals always trust in the unknown source of their survival. Each day is an opportunity to fall in love with your life if you wish to do so.
5. At every given opportunity, play. Forgetting how to play is the root cause of much unhappiness if life. Mimicking the spontaneous funny five minutes of playful fun seen in many animals, can recharge our batteries and help us rediscover the fun in the monotony in life.
6. Be peacefully strong. The stronger the animal, the more peaceful they can be. Inner strength from knowing your capabilities is far better than trying to overt your power over another to try and convince yourself and others of your strength.
7. Communication is key. Picking up on the spoken and unspoken word early on can keep conflict at bay. Interaction can not be a success by speaking and not listening. Cooperation is key to live in harmony with others.
8. Always be yourself. We fall in love with animals for their quirky ways and we should do the same for humans. Celebrating the individuality of over 7 billion people in the world is an easier task if you can learn to celebrate your own individuality.
9. Show compassion even when it is hard. Interspecies friendships show no boundaries’ even when it is difficult. Learning the needs and wishes of another helps us move beyond ourselves and be more compassionate.
10. Spread your magic wherever you go. Each living being has a way about them that will attract the masses. If every being in the world left a trail of their beautiful essence wherever they visit, happiness would be nothing but inevitable.
Munch’s manifesto of hsppiness is my go-to place of enlightenment in times of uncertainty. I know he won’t mind if you ever feel like visiting it too.

Maid. Where Is My Limousine?

Tags

Animal, Dog, Drama King, Expectations, Guide Dog, Humour, Regal

Due to the historical general implication of what street corners are famous for, standing on them does not appeal to me. Not wanting to be questioned for loitering with intent, I usually pass them by like any law-abiding citizen. Munch on the other hand has other ideas. For the last week or so, there has appeared to be a magnetic draw between his derriere and the floor on street corners. This puzzling behaviour has got me both worried and intrigued as it is so out of character for him. I have been scared to Google “street corner doggy behaviour” just in case I find something I shouldn’t.

The first time that it happened, I was concerned that he had an injury of some sort and could not walk but after I gave him a quick check over I ruled it out. Next on the mental check list was maybe he was thirsty, so I gave him some water in his bowl that I always carry but when he turned his nose up at this I knew that it must be something else. When his planted derriere still wouldn’t move I wondered if there was an obstacle in the distance that I couldn’t see which would have made him stop in our tracks. After zooming in on the location around us with the maximum capacity with the camera on my phone, I couldn’t see any obvious reasons for his odd behaviour. After what felt like an age, he finally got up, sighed and walked on.

This strange behaviour continued to happen a few times over the following week in different locations. The answer to his odd behaviour came a couple of days ago when he was in sitting protest mode. As a taxi slowed down and pulled up slightly further down the street from us, he decided to shoot up off the floor at record speed and try and pull me towards the taxi. It was then that I realized that this Diva just wanted a ride. Steering him away from the taxi muttering “no it’s not for us” to the stroppy soul, I twigged that he had been waiting for a lift each time. As our work days have increased over the last month we have been catching more taxis, buses and trains, so he just thought that we were getting a taxi to save his poor paws.

Munch’s sense of entitlement is always present as he saunters through life. Not one to break a sweat in his working life if he can help it. he is quite happy to be transported around by any means possible. Why walk when minions can come and save his paws from over exertion? If he can stretch out and snooze in any type of vehicle whilst being chauffeured around, his Highness is happy. The term “working dog” feels like a trade description breech when he in such dormant mood. Expecting such a regal being to walk when he can be carried, is such a failure on my part and I must try better in the future to meet his needs.

I think it is time for me to start saving up for a limousine to transport him around. I think it is only fair also that I arrange in advance for him to be greeted at each destination with a red carpet for him to feel that his status is honoured and respected. Maybe it is an idea to hire a full-time chef for his catering needs as one cannot be expected to eat any old slop. Who do you think would be best to design his robe and crown for his royal duties? Would it be too premature to arrange his inauguration for the masses to attend or should I wait until there is public outcry for his leadership?

My little Minster Munch has taught me many things, with patience being a main one. Findings ways around his demanding nature is always pleasing to my problem-solving loving mind. Until he is lying stretched out in his limousine wearing his bespoke robe and crown with a belly full of fine dining, he may have to make do with pounding the pavement with his paws with shop bought treats enticing him along the way. Sorry Munch, we all must slum it sometimes.

A Day In The Life Of A Healer

Tags

Animal, Autism, Children, Dog, Gratitude, Guide Dog, Healer, Healing, Kindness, Love, Mental Health, Peace, Thanks, Unconditional Love

Pulling towards each other, they met in the middle and fell into each other’s space. Like two familiar souls, these strangers created a unity that looked like it had existed for an eternity. The connection that anchored the pair rooted on the spot at the train station, gave an insight into the world of the unspoken realm of healing. Munch sensed the need for this girl to feel secure before she entered another day in the unknown world of school life. Meeting a highly anxious young girl with autism, triggered off the natural healing instinct in him to come alive. The kisses that he planted on her beautiful face reassured her that she would get through another day and be just fine.

When Munch chose what I thought was a random seat on the train, I had no idea that we would be sitting opposite a man who was losing his sight. As we chatted away and Munch gave his paw and heart to the man, he must have known that this was the place that we really needed to sit. We listened to how the man had been patiently waiting for a guide dog for the last year and a half, yet his vision seemed to be in a hurry to deteriorate. The questions that poured out from him were answered verbally by me and physically by Munch. Hearing the words “I know my wait will be worth it after meeting this furry fella” reaffirmed the positive impact that Munch has on the life of another.

Throughout the working day he continued to spread his healing magic to lonely children that he made feel loved, gave self esteem to those that had little and absorbed the stress that invaded the lives of many. His calming presence that filled the room allowed our clients to leave the chaos of life on the other side of the door and embrace the forgotten peace that lay within each of them. Sharing his toys with those that had forgotten the fun of play in childhood triggered sleepy parts of them that needed to reawaken. Demonstrating his pure love for life was the best infection that anyone could ever catch.

Later that night in training in work, he lightened the mood as the heaviness of the subject permeated the room. The sombre subject of suicide triggered deep emotions in the room that Munch tired to even out. He whimpered in a way that seemed to speak of the groups sadness and began using his Munch like qualities to magic it away. Lying on his back with paws to ceiling he began doing his happy dance with tongue flopping out of his mouth and tail wagging to try and turn frowns upside down. He even went around to kiss each person one by one and gave an extra hug to someone who had just lost her dog. His love was all that was needed.

This healer works in ways that has no structure, just freedom in all that he does. Once met never forgotten, he moves through life in his own unique way on a life path that he was meant to live. Leaving people feeling better in whatever way he can is his personal motto in life. We may never know the positive impact that we have on peoples lives but our impact should always be positive. If we cannot heal another then we should not harm. If we each took small steps to heal ourselves and others in whatever way we can, there would never be anything left to heal as how can we heal perfection?

Written In The Stars

Tags

Animal, Beauty, Dog, Gratitude, Guide Dog, Labradoodle, Love, Numerology, Thanks

Getting preferential treatment is one thing that Munch is good at. It seems that wherever he goes, he manifests a whole entourage of people who pander to his needs and treat him like royalty. Up until now I have thought that it is due to his Labradoodle personality or the fact that he has been pampered and spoilt from birth. It seems however, that there may be more to it than that. When we were told by a Numerologist last week that his way of being was written in the stars, I was intrigued.

Munch being like a magnet for any spare attention, drew in a Numerologist we had briefly met before. He felt the urge to start reading Munch due to his magnetic energy. I love anything alternative and got excited when he started talking about the meaning of his name and what his date of birth said about him. He worked on his name Munch as he is affectionately known and used his birth date of 18^th December as the focal point of his tuning in. The information that he came up with could only have been known by someone who knew Munch well or a stalker, neither of which he matched.

My head nodded, and my mouth gapped open as the reading went on. This is the summary of what I was told about our little Minster Munch. He is as loyal as they come which is so very true. Loyalty in Munch’s world however, does not only relate to me but to anyone with food and can give him masses of fuss which takes us on to the next point. He believes he is the owner of many people and expects them to pander to his every need as he feels he is far greater than ‘just a dog’. His snob like personality (that is so spot on), helps him choose what he does and does not want in life. Hmmmm, has the numerologist been watching his eye rolling and sighing when he is given something below his expected standard?

Stubbornness is all part of his birth date I was told, so it’s not really his fault. Knowing this, it felt much easier to accept that it was not just my imagination that he was stubborn, It was a birth chart involuntary response that made him sit in protest earlier that day on a walk and not the fact that he wanted a taxi or bus home as I originally thought. His dramatic way of life and larger than life personality was his destiny and not the fact that he was spoilt from birth. He was not born to be a shrinking violet and his sense of entitlement was always meant to be.

Apart from all these diva-like qualities that are hard to ignore in him, he also has some of the most loving qualities possible. He is a friend to everyone he meets and loves to spread his joy wherever he goes. His sensitivity taps into people who need it and he has a calming nature that the neediest feel. He knows no fear as his bravery is as strong as can be. Lastly, his intuition should always be trusted as he senses things that we may be oblivious too.

Out of all this spot-on information about him, the nicest thing to hear was that he is happy being a Guide dog. The sense of purpose that he carries through life pleases him. Being of loving service to myself and others he meets along the way, helps to keep his tail wagging on day after day. His perfection that was written in the stars makes me fall deeper in love with him as time goes by. My naughty but nice dog was born just at the right time in just the right way.

My Lucky Life

Tags

Animal, Blind, Dog, Gratitude, Guide Dog, Labradoodle, Sight Loss

“I am so sorry to hear you have lost you vision” said the blurred figure in front of me. The sincerity in his voice was sweet but my ears tried to deflect the genuine regret onto someone who really needed it. Standing by the bus stop on the way back from work, we had spent the last ten minutes talking to someone who knew me but I had no idea who they were. I did not recognize his voice or his shadowy blurry outline, but he knew a lot about me which was a little bit strange to say the least.
I always seem to forget that people use their eyes to recognize others and not voices, unique sounding footsteps or method of deductions to recognize who is there. This person knew where I lived and knew my children and I had no idea of who he was as his new voice made its way into my memory bank to be filed alongside the masses of others I had met throughout my lifetime. It must have been the puzzled look on my face that told him that I had no idea of who he was which prompted him to explain that he used to live on my street. Phew, panic over.
The first time he said that he was sorry that I had lost my sight, I felt a little shocked at what he was saying as if I am honest I had never felt any regret from loosing my sight. This was however not a thing that you could share with everyone as it was not an easy concept to explain. The fact that I usually forgot that I could not see can be hard to comprehend so I usually kept that one to myself. Explaining to others however that I had gained so much insight from my sight loss may still have been alien to them but my reasonings may be a little easier to understand.
My sight loss although is not ideal, is not fatal. Unlike some of the other side effects of Marfan Syndrome, sight loss was inconvienent but not life threatening. If I had perfect sight from birth I don’t think that I would have the unique view on the world that I am blessed with. I would not have learnt to think outside of the box and learn alternative coping strategies to make me lead a fulfilling life. I would have not met others that I know in the sight loss community either that have enriched my life. Most importantly, if I had fully functioning vision then I would never had met Munch. So sorry I am not.
I loved the sentiment of this blurry figure that stood in front of me as he was coming from the most compassionate place and thanked him but even after explaining to him that I was thankful more than sorry he just didn’t get it. It is never easy to understand another person’s life when we only have our own lives to match it too. It is sometimes those who appear to be without that are the actual ones that have the most enriched lives. I love my life and all that it has brought and would never want to change anything about it. I am thankful every day for the lucky life that I lead and hope that we can all someday start to appreciate how lucky we truly are.

The Guide Of My Life

Tags

Animal, Children, Dog, Education, Freedom, Gratitude, Guide Dog, Kindness, Labels, Labradoodle, Love, Mobility, Thanks

The day was over. I could tell that he was relieved to be on the way home after a long week of guiding me around new places. Directions had never been my strong point but since loosing even more sight it had got worse. On duty Minster guided me away from the wrong turning yet again and led us into the right corridor. To the pattern loving sighted person, identical looking corridors must be ideal but to me it was a living nightmare. With no breaks in the monotonous blurry coloured walls from any shadowy landmarks, the labyrinth of alien newness seemed to continue for miles. Lucky for me Minster’s good memory kept us from getting lost.

This week, we had worked in three different secondary schools with a total of over 2,000 pupils. Finding my way to the schools was difficult enough with different routes and different modes of transport each day due to their locations. Walks, buses, taxis and trains all got us to where we needed to be. For a six-hour working day, we are out of the house for an average of eleven hours, but we have no choice as going directly by a unicorn is just not available to us unfortunately. Getting there is just the start of our day of moving around in hopeful bliss.

When off duty Munch becomes on duty Minster, he becomes the brains in our partnership. When we are shown the way through the school to our room he will remember it next time around with no hesitation. He then puts up with my dithering as I am convinced we need to go the wrong way but he stands his ground and leads us the proper way. He dodges the hazy mass of pupil traffic speeding towards us and leads me safely to the place that I would never be able to find alone. When on duty, he works so hard and never complains, he really is the magical reason that I can continue to work.

Hoovering up the dropped bits of food along the way and adoration from his surrounding fans tends to be the motivation that he needs to get him through the marathon of his working week. When his harness is slipped off when we enter our room, his Munch like qualities spring to life as he actively seeks mischief to cause. Greeting our clients with open paws and a toy to play with, he shakes off his professional persona and gets ready for some fun. Having a dog in the school has such a positive effect on the pupils and teachers alike as they gently stream in for a bit of the Minster Munch magic.

Each day when we leave work, I look forward to getting in so that Minster can transform into the Munch that we all know and love. Within minutes of entering the house I know he will be winding Angus the cat up, stealing my gorgeous granddaughter’s toys and running off with shoes. I really don’t mind one bit as he deserves to have downtime just like any one of us. After his funny five minutes hurtling around the house he will settle down for a cuddle. I hope that the thank you that I whisper into his ears each night, conveys how much I appreciate him. He is the guide of my life that I will always love unconditionally and will never stop appreciating.