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?

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Maybe We Could Start Doing It Right

Tags

Beauty, Gratitude, Kindness, Love, Manifest, Unconditional Love

Maybe we are doing it all wrong.
What if we chose to see others as mirrors of ourselves and only spoke words to them that we would want to hear ourselves. If we realized that we were not more or less important than anyone else and just equal to them, then maybe we would learn to see each other fairly. Would we not live in a more positive world if we chose to be more positive to others and received back what we gave out?
What if we chose to speak with kind words or not at all, to those that pass through our lives each day. If we realized that people’s mistakes were part of them being human and not what defines them, would we not encourage people to try again and not feel like failures? Would we not feel empowered by helping others find the power in their own lives instead of taking it away from them?
What if we chose to encourage children to help one another whenever they needed it and helped them build their own community where nothing but support existed. If we explained to children about the power of their words, they would have the knowledge to transform life for themselves and another in such beautiful ways. Would they not feel anything but love from then on?
What if we chose to not judge on appearance but on the authenticity of the person that will never fade with age. If we learnt that our opinions were not the only ones in the world and others are just as valid, we would learn to live alongside not against another. Would we not feel happier in a world that encouraged alternative voices instead of trying to silence them?
What if we chose to see the beauty in difference and not feel threatened enough to attack it. If we stopped our adoration of superficial beauty and learnt to love natural beauty, would we not find more smiles on real faces? Would we not feel more comfortable in a world that appreciated something out of the ordinary that could teach us about things that we may never have known?
What if we chose to be the kindest version of ourselves and nothing else. If we learnt to see the perfection in everyone that we met, we would learn that our perfection is no different just equal. Would we not feel that our lives were full of miracles if we chose to transform the emptiness by filling it with our own version of bliss?
Maybe we could start doing it right.

To The Bullied Child

Tags

Animal, Bullying, Children, Counseling, Dog, Guide Dog, Humour, Inspire, Kindness, Love, Pet Therapy, Unconditional Love

Come in. We have been looking forward to seeing you today. Munch has warmed up your seat ready for you, but he will soon be jumping to the floor when you come in. Sorry in advance for the doggy breath kisses that he wants to smother you with. Can you give our apologise please to whoever washes your clothes, as they will be covered with hair from him cuddling into you. He loves seeing you each week and has no concept of personal space so he just wants to sit next to you and connect.

When he sits by your feet and gives you his paw, he is speaking for both of us as we thank you for showing up and being here with us for the next hour. As he gazes up at you, he sees the most perfect human ever and will never tire of seeing you. He sees you as a friend and will always be loyal and will never leave your side. As he rubs his head into your lap, he is trying to leave a part of him behind, that will stay with you as you go through your day. As he lays down on your feet, he is telling you that you belong to the same pack of warriors that this world so desperately needs more of.

Life outside this room can be tough, but when you are here with us we really want you to know that life can also be full of love. The words that fall out of the bully’s mouths do not belong to you. You are a totally different person than they make you out to be. We know the real you that your loved ones know and adore. We also know the sheer joy that you bring into people’s lives without even knowing it. As the bully lures you away from the real you, we will always keep you anchored to your true self. Our counselling room door will always be the doorway to healing whenever you are ready.

As my Guide Dog becomes your Pet Therapy pal, he waits to see you transform into the person that you want to be. Loving yourself is easier to do when you surround yourself with people who love you. These are the cheerleaders that you need around to help you through the game of life. You may not have met your tribe of people yet, but they are so excited to meet you so search for them in the unlikeliest of places. By changing your surroundings, you are changing your opportunities.

It is impossible to brainwash a waterproof brain so whatever the bully tries to throw at you, it can never hurt if your self-love seal is intact. Don’t allow people to chip away at the perfect human that you are, as a broken you would not be you. Learn to love the life that you were born to lead and don’t let anyone get in your way. I hope that one day soon you can see yourself as the perfect being that Munch sees you as. You too would fall in love with yourself and know the beautiful difference that you make in the lives of others. Just ask Munch.

I Do Not Care About That But I Do Care About You

Tags

Blind, Diversity, Happiness, Individuality, Judgement, Kindness, Love, Positivity, Unconditional Love

I do not care if your eyebrows are not on fleek. I do not care if the spot that you think is huge, is there. I do not care if you have dribbled mayonnaise all over your top from your lunch. I do not care that you have some spinach between your teeth. I do not care that you wore the same top to go out for the fifth time in a row. I do not care that your body is a different body than what it was twenty years ago. I do not care that your roots are showing through. I do not care that your appearance to the outside world is not always perfect.

I do care that you are healthy. I do care that when you look in the mirror you like what you see. I do care that you wear clothes to impress yourself not others. I do care that when you smile it is real. I do care that your body is as well as you can make it. I do care that over the years you have grown into the person that you have always wanted to be. I do care that you know that your beauty comes from your soul. I do care that the outside world sees you for who you truly are.

Seeing is not always believing. For me, sight loss has meant insight gains. The beauty of a person goes deeper than the body that they dwell in. I don’t know what society’s perfection looks like as I have never been able to properly see. I can tell you though what a beautiful person is like. A beautiful person is loving. A beautiful person is kind. A beautiful person is empathic. A beautiful person is wise. A beautiful person is compassionate. A beautiful person is altruistic. A beautiful person exists within every one of 7 billion people that are in this world.

I care that although life gets tough, you realize that life will not always be like this. I care that you realize how much of a positive impact you have on others in your life. I care that you inspire others to reach their happy zone. I care that you are you. I care that without functional vision I can still see you. I care that I am not the only one that can see past the spot on your face that has natural eyebrows and appreciate the spinach between your teeth. I care that we can see past your mayonnaise covered aging top that covers your unique lovable body and your wisdom strands that many see as hair roots. I care that others do not use their eyes alone to judge.

I care because we all should.

Sorry. Why would I have a Bucket?

Tags

Animal, Blind, Diversity, Dog, Guide Dog, Hidden Disability, Humour, Individuality, Judgemental attitude, Pets, Positivity, Sight Loss, Unconditional Love, Unique

There are times that I sit and wonder what planet I am from, as I really don’t understand some humans. One of these times of contemplation happened a few days ago whilst I was day dreaming, standing inside a shop doorway waiting for my friend to get served. An older sounding lady come up to me and said “Oh what a sweet dog, here you are love. Where is your bucket?”. “Sorry“ I replied. Had she mistaken me for a blind cleaner with a Guide Dog as part of a job share? “I thought you lot were always in blue?” the lovely lady continued. I racked my brains to what “us lot” she meant. I have always been rather partial to dressing up for nights out with the girls, but I could not recall dressing as a Smurf ever, so I was a little mystified to what lot she meant. “Guide dog staff usually wear blue, don’t they? I want to donate as they are such an amazing charity”. My meandering mind caught up with her words and I realized that she thought I was fundraising. “Oh no sorry, he is my Guide Dog” I politely explained. “Oh. Why do you need a Guide Dog if you are not blind though as you don’t look blind”? Boom there it was, another judgemental remark to add to my collection.

It wasn’t the first time that I had been mistaken for not looking blind. A few months previously, on duty Minster and I were working in a school when we passed a group of boys around 15-16 years old. One of them thought he was a police dog and asked why we were in school. Not one to miss out on an opportunity to wind someone up, I told him that we were there to ensure nothing dodgy was brought into the school. A sudden hesitant silence engulfed the group of boys. After a few seconds of silence, I helped them out of their panic pit and said he was my Guide Dog and was greeted with a dozen questions. These ranged from “what, do you mean you can’t see” to “how can you work here if you can’t read anything”. To be fair they were genuinely intrigued and not being insulting so I spent a while with them answering questions whilst they fed Minster some of their lunch whilst he was in his Please Do Not Feed Me harness. They soon became his favourite group of treat giving friends over the next few months.

I have been told I look too young to be blind as one person thought only older people turned blind. Instead of loosing faith in humanity at that point, I kindly explained to them that babies can be born blind. When out with another person, I sometimes get ignored when people ask my friend/family member about my Guide Dog as obviously blind people can’t answer for themselves can they! I often get asked why I don’t wear dark glasses as apparently that is the official sign of Blindness. I have been asked why I have a television if I cannot see it. I get asked a lot of questions yet only rarely do they come from the right place of compassionate intrigue.

I could have answered the woman’s question of where my bucket was with a multitude of alternative answers, some of which would not be printable. I choose however, to see it as a compliment as my “not looking blind” matches my “not feeling blind” attitude. Ever the rebel, a label does not define me, so I will not allow an uneducated judgement to offend me. I believe that we are a true reflection of the way we perceive the world so when I am mistaken for being a trainer, volunteer or a fundraiser for Guide Dogs I feel blessed that I am perceived as fully sighted. The world exists beyond our immediate visual field, so I feel I see more than a fully functioning set of eyes would ever allow me to see. Being form such an imaginary planet can be the most blissful place ever.

Sleeping Beauty

Tags

Blind, Dog, Guide Dog, Happiness, Individuality, Labradoodle, Love, Pets, Sleeping Beauty, Unconditional Love, Work And Play

Some dogs sleep outside, some sleep in cages indoors, some curled up in their doggy beds and then there are others that sleep wherever they fancy. Munch certainly belongs to the latter type. Before I applied for a Guide Dog I was a little concerned that maybe the dog would feel that he/she was being exploited and may work too hard. I obviously then did not know much about Munch and his type of dog. If I had, I would have reassured myself that all would be fine, and he would soon dictate the working conditions he would be desiring. His understanding of the working conditions goes a little like this…

• For every hour On Duty, I require 6 hours Off Duty.
• I will not get out of bed without a morning massage and a 20-minute Munch appreciation session where you must repeatedly confirm that I am the best boy in the whole world and I get more and more handsome every day.
• As I am part Poodle, it is a legal requirement for me to obey your commands only when I feel ready.
• I require at least an hour warning before I am to go On Duty and grace the public with my appearance.
• I will go to the toilet whenever I feel fit and not go on your “Busy, Busy” command that we Guide Dogs are trained to do. A Gentleman’s toileting needs shall not be scheduled in to suit you. An alluring looking lamp post that needs to be marked with one’s scent can crop up at any moment.
• Holidays are a must for such a hard-working dog as myself so when booking Hotel rooms, please ensure that they adequately equipped for me as well as yourself. It is also advantageous if you could ensure that the hotel and waiting staff must fuss over me at every available opportunity. Failure to do so may result in me using my sad puppy dog eyes to bestow a feeling of guilt upon them.
• You must play with me and my toys with undivided attention whilst Off Duty. If I choose on the rare occasion to run off with your slipper, you will be required to allow me and feel honoured that I have chosen to leave my doggy DNA from my slobbers on your said item.
• When I choose to go to sleep multiple times a day, please note I must be allowed access to the sofa, cuddle chair or any of the beds at the property. If on the rare occasion I choose to sleep in one of my designated dog’s beds around the property, then consider it as a thoughtful gift.
• Any changes to this contract will be changed whenever I see fit. Please note, when you signed the contract to have me as your Guide Dog, you signed to love me just as I am. Who could not love perfection?

Since having Munch, many dog owners have told me that they would never let their dogs on furniture and that they need to know their place. I understand their views, but each owner and animal have their own unique relationship. The bond you form with a Guide Dog is such a deep trusting relationship as they become your connection to the world that you cannot see so for me a happy dog means a happy life. Changing beds, a couple of times a week to sleep hair free is a tiny price to pay for living with such a majestic soul trapped in a dog’s body. This sleeping beauty can rest his head wherever he wishes for his reward for just being him.

My Face Recognition Device

Tags

Animal, Blind, Dog, Great teacher, Guide Dog, Happiness, Labradoodle, Pets, Sight Loss, Unconditional Love, Unique, Visual Impairement

Faces have always been a mystery to me as I have never been able to see them unless close up in pictures. This is only possible if I can inspect the detail in the picture at a nose length away. Recognising people has always come from other clues. From hearing their distinct voice to hearing their unique footsteps and every imaginable sensory subtlety in between, seeing people has always been possible through ingrained memory as apposed to ease. When my four children were babies, I could see their general appearance when I held them in my arms but as soon as they became to big to hold, they became too far away to see. This is the only time that it ever really mattered to me.

Having four children under the age of six meant that at various times they all became similar heights so recognising them became harder as time went on and I had to be vigilant in the clothes that they wore to help distinguish them from one another. As my eyesight deteriorated even more, I began wondering how I was going to use my methods of deductions to distinguish between masses of similar looking blurs. My solution came in the form of a nosey, fan seeking, intelligent face recognising device a.k.a. my Guide Dog, Minster Munch. He only needs to see a face once to be able to memorize, categorize and prioritize that face into his elephant like memory system.

The memorizing is probably the easiest part of the process for him. He has this ability to leave an impression on the people he meets and therefore he memorizes the reactions that he initially receives. He memorizes the exact location that these people can usually be found, whether it be in certain shops or houses. Next comes the categorization of these new found faces. Categories include the easily manipulated ones, the dog treat carriers, the eager doggy kiss receivers, the chin stokers, the non-fussed and his fun time walkers. The prioritizing of these faces then depends on the mood that he is in on that day. If he is after a free run with one of the fun time walkers then he may bypass an easily manipulated one to meet his need on that given day. This Face Recognition talent works wonders for both him and I.

As he begins to quicken his pace towards an oncoming blur, I know that it is someone we know. The pace of his quicken strides gives me an indication of how well known they are to us. If it is someone that is close family or a friend, he may also begin to get a little bit excited, whining to alert me that the loved one is near. I love this about him as although he may be more interested in what he can gain from his oncoming friend, he is linking me to the sighted world which has always been impossible for me to do alone. Without him, the faceless blurs I love living amongst, remain a mystery to me. He has now become my eyes that I have never properly seen through. This Face Recognizing Device will always be one of my favourite gifts that I have been given, and he only requires treats, fuss and love to run on. How amazing is that?

Excuse Me, I Think You Are Sitting On My Throne.

Tags

Animal, Blind, Dog, Guide Dog, Hidden Disability, Humour, Individuality, Labradoodle, Pets, Sight Loss, Unconditional Love, Unique, Visual Impairement

There are some people who seem to fill up a room with charisma as soon as they step foot inside. You must have met the type. You know, the ones with a booming voice, a radiant smile or just a magnetic energy about them. Well, Munch has that effect on a lot of people he meets but I often wonder if it is for the right reason. From having a random Selfie with a group of young girls in a lift, to causing a trolley traffic jam in a local supermarket from his admirers, he rarely enters a place discreetly. His ingrained sense of entitlement comes from not only his Poodle like traits, but I am sure he has a past life memory of being a king and therefore requires everyone to be upstanding for him upon entering a place. I, just a mere maid to his regal ways just hang my head in shame.

As we got on a bus a few days ago, he began gliding down the aisle with the grace of a model. As the “Ooohs” and the “Aaahs” began coming from all directions from the eager spectators, he slowed down for the odd pat from all directions whilst being in model harness clad Guide Dog mode. A new-found fan offered to give up a seat in the front for us to sit down but as he is so big it is easier for us to go in the back, so he can trip up less people. As I thanked the kind lady for the offer but declined, I was about to set off to the back when I realized Munch had sat down in front of this lady and was cuddling in for some fuss. After some persuasion I managed to move him on from this heartbroken fan to find a more spacious seat for us. The same thing happened a few rows back when a lovely man offered to move seats as there was more leg room in his. As the man patted the seat he was on when offering to move, Munch took this as a sign to jump up on the seat to sit next to the man and dive in for a sloppy kiss. As some laughter erupted from some passengers, Munch span his head around to look at his audience and played along even more as I stood holding his harness and lead. Just to clarify, normal Guide Dogs don’t do that as they know they are meant to remain on the floor, but Munch was in full acting mode that day.

After finally getting the Pampered Pooch to get off the mans seat, we made it to the back of the bus and found a suitable place for his to be able to lie down and stretch out. Despite me spending quite a few minutes gently explaining to him he is not allowed on seats and why we needed to come up the back, it was obvious he was still not going to pardon me for not letting him choose his own throne. In the end, when I removed his harness he ended up stretching out on the floor from our seat, across the aisle and onto the feet of a generous man who had given him a bit of chicken so was now his best friend. Such a regal being should have the pick of his thrones, I will have to learn to treat him better.

Children and Accepting Difference

Tags

Childrens Acceptance, Diversity, Great teacher, Individuality, Kindness, Positivity, Unconditional Love, Unique

The brain operates happily when surrounded by sameness. As soon as something comes into our awareness that is a little different, it can throw a bit of a wobbly. The amygdala in our brains can fear the unknown and distrust this new concept that we are faced with. The only way the brain feels like it can cope with such uneasy feelings is to call on the neurons in the mesolimbic system to release that pleasure giving dopamine transmitter that happens when we return to the comfort of our ‘Sameness Tribe’. Basically, the brain would rather stick with what it knows than be scared by difference. Luckily as we have evolved, our understanding and acceptance in the world has increased due to better education and general knowledge about diversity.

Embracing difference has been a hot topic for some time, so what can we do help sustain and deepen this? Teaching children about diversity is essential in today’s society, it is estimated that 95% of the World population will experience physical and/or mental health conditions at some time in their lives so it is inevitable that children will be exposed to some form of ‘difference’ in life. Childhood is the best time to learn acceptance and non-judgmental attitudes due to the welcoming neuroplasticity of the brain and can control how they perceive the world. Here are a few ways and reasons why you should help your child embrace difference in others.

Highlight difference and then normalize it – When a child sees a new object, it is natural that they will always want to explore that object and question. It is no difference when they experience an individual that they meet that does not fit into their ‘Sameness Tribe’. They are not making loud comments or asking cringe worthy questions to embarrass the other person, they are just genuinely interested. Don’t be afraid to explain to them why an individual may look or act differently. Honesty is key. I often hear children telling their parents that dogs are not allowed in shops, so they ask why I have my Guide Dog with me. That is such a valid point as they are still learning about the world around them and need to know the answers. Highlighting the role of Guide Dogs there and then allows them to connect new information to real life situations.

Encouraging them to step out of their own comfort zone – Life will always be full of surprises no matter how hard you try to control otherwise. Remaining in your own comfort zone may keep your amygdala happy but life can become riddled with uneasy feelings if this comfort zone gets taken away form you suddenly. Explaining to children how other people cope successfully with adverse situations is essential to the developing mind. Positive role models of people living with diversity will allow a child to develop coping strategies, acceptance, non-judgemental attitudes, resilience and adaptability. These qualities are essential for a healthy outlook on life.

Prepare them for their own differences – The best gift a child can ever have is to feel comfortable in their own skin. Mental health and wellbeing of an individual can be adversely affected if they do not feel accepted by the outside world. By modelling acceptance of difference in others, children learn to identify their own uniqueness which can prevent internal conflict if they ever feel different in some way. Such an acceptance will allow them to develop a positive mental attitude in becoming an individual regardless of sameness or differences in themselves and others.

Help increase Theory of Mind – To effectively function in the world we need to not only know about ourselves but also about others. The intents, desires, beliefs and thoughts of others minds as well as our own, can help us connect empathetically and create meaningful relationships with others. It is important that children learn from a young age that they are equal to others and are never more or less important than the next person. Helping a child understand that an individual may appear to be different but their core values, needs and wishes in life are equal to their own, allows empathy to develop.

Support unconditional love and compassion – Children are innately accepting and loving towards others. Changes to this innate way of being can come from outside societal influences and not from within so it is key to keep this innate loving way of being alive. Children who love unconditionally, see the world in a more positive light and don’t want to ‘fix’ another’s imperfections. Having compassion for others also allows their own self love to grow at the same time. By encouraging these two qualities in a child life, they will become that best friend, that everyone wishes they had.

Not only do we teach our children, but they can also become our greatest teachers in life. Having such compassionate teachers in this world, would make the world a far nicer place for all to live in regardless of if they belong to their ‘Sameness Tribe’ or not.

WANTED. Have You Seen This Serial Toy Hunter?

Tags

Animal, Dog, Guide Dog, Humour, Individuality, Labradoodle, Pets, Unconditional Love, Unique, Work And Play

This is the face of a Serial Toy Hunter. He knows no shame when running off with another dogs toy. If anything, his face shows nothing but pride. That same pride that you would expect to find on a Beagles face if it met a rabbit. Luckily Munch hunts in a far less gruesome way. That glowing pride that emits from his being when he finds another lost toy is dazzling, even when he is being told to put it back. Shame has no place in this Toy Hunters mindset.

This boldly borrowed bone toy was left behind by some poor dog. For the next half an hour it became Munch’s new find, or so he thought. It took a lot of persuading and bribery for him to put it back where he found it. It got me thinking to all the other times that he had boldly borrowed things whilst out playing. In the past, he has taken balls, frisbees, rope toys, squeaky plush toys, teething chews, leads, coats and much more of other dogs. I would love to say that he doesn’t try and take things whilst on duty, but I think my nose would grow like Pinocchio if I did.

Whilst out shopping once, he pulled a manoeuvre that I feared would lead him to be famous on Crimewatch. After we had spent the day going around numerous shops, we headed back to the car. As my friend who was with us walked ahead and opened the boot ready, he looked over and started laughing at Munch. The comical scene that he laughed at, was that Munch had taken a Tennis Ball from somewhere and was happily prancing along with it in his mouth. It blended in with his works harness brilliantly so at least he was colour coordinated. Panic washed over me as I imagined him on wanted posters around the city as the only shop lifting Guide Dog around. I wondered if he would receive a BOBB (Behave or Be Banned) order from the police. We couldn’t even go and take it back to a shop to pay for it as we had been in three different sports shops yet none of them sold singular tennis balls, only in multipacks so we were unsure if it had come from a shop or outside somewhere. I was riddled with shame whilst he was gleaming with pride. Some things would never change.

Anytime I feel his head pulling towards a shelf these days whilst out shopping, I am far more cautious and check his mouth every time we leave a shop. His love of soft toys is another danger zone when this Toy Hunter gets in the retrieval zone, so I need to be on high alert in a toy shop just in case. To be fair, he has never taken anything from a shop (minus the possible Tennis Ball incident) but that Toy Hunter instinct in him needs monitoring closely, so I am ever vigilant. The pride in his Toy Hunting skills refuse to be dampened so if you see this toy hunter out in public, you may need to keep your toys under lock and key. I apologize in advance.