Prince Update ~ 4 January 2014: “Love comes in all forms”
My Prince’s Gift: “Love comes in all forms”.
I like the saying about how “love is an action verb” or more than just words. The concept which I am learning to embody, thanks to Prince is that “love is words and actions”; hence, all forms.
In one day, I’ve experienced … it’s about trusting myself and Prince to bring him into my arms in a way he has NEVER snuggled before. It was sheer bliss, the sweetest most intimate moment .. moment after moment while we returned to sleep, then eventually woke up. I remember the touch of his fur against me, his scent; I love that Dachshund musky scent.
The trust he demonstrated in my arms was palpable. Or perhaps it was that I was willing to trust Prince and to trust my own heart that I could open myself up, make myself that vulnerable, and when we no longer have this “in the moment”, I will not crack or fall apart. Rather, we will flow seamlessly into that moment, whatever it holds.
The rest of the day was a cold, rainy day here in Florida. It was spent snuggling on the couch. One way I demonstrated my love was to warm up a comforter and lay it out for the kids. Prince has been shivering a lot. I didn’t mind that I kept overheating, I merely took off my sweater. Blaze and I snuggled, as did Blaze and Prince.
Sometimes we express our love in saying “no”. Today it was, “umm, no” to Missy and Celt that they cannot have a snack every time Prince “gets” to eat. If I did that, I would end up with dogs that are overweight. How would my allowing that express my love? For more on pet obesity, check out Obie’s story although his situation was not intentional.
In fact, sometimes the kindest things we can do is to set boundaries and stick to them, in spite of intense pressure to give in. My Prince’s Gift to me of late is teaching me how to allow another living being to make their own decisions about life, and death; and how to do so graciously and with gratitude.
Isn’t that what I would want for myself? This isn’t to say that I won’t be broken when Prince and Blaze transitions. That will be my truth.
Their truth is they deserve making their own choices. Allowing another living being to make their own choices while also speaking and standing for my own truth is a lesson I am learning. <3 <3
