Just recently, my wife and I bought a dog—an extremely sweet, very intelligent and always challenging Labradoodle. Never would I have imagined how much our lives would change, since that very first day.
Gone are the days of being able to go out whenever we felt like it. Now, we have to come home to let her out. No more opportunities to hit snooze on my phone and get another 15 minute worth of sleep. Now, I wake up around 6:00, if not earlier, to let her out, feed her and wait for my wife to get ready and take over. Now, we have somebody else to think about—a cute, furry chocolate Labradoodle.
Within those first challenging days, I was at my wit’s end one evening. I think that I was alone watching her, when I felt like calling my mom. Now, I call my parents a few times a week. However, I had a particularly strong impulse to call her. This call started like many others where we caught up on what was going on—in this case, she asked how it was going with the dog. When I came to this moment, I had to come clean about the real reason for the call. Without hesitating, I apologized to her for all of those times that I probably had her at her wits’ end. She just laughed and told me that it was no problem. No doubt that she had an inkling that I understood just a little bit of what she went through, when my stubborn streak challenged her.
In no way am I saying that a dog is exactly like a child. However, there are similar experiences: having to adjust your schedule around feedings, providing bonding time or nursing back to health (she was recently spayed). Without a doubt, I have encountered experiences that I wouldn’t have otherwise, felt things that I wouldn’t have and unlocked a nurturing side that has only recently been enhanced. I can only imagine how this would change if I was talking about a real child.
So from my limited perspective as a man and one that is not a father, I’d like to thank all the mothers out there (especially mine), the about-to-be mothers and those that can’t be mothers. No matter what, we appreciate you, though we don’t always express this. You are important and very necessary. We would not be where we are without you.
Author: José A. Rodríguez
While reading this story,a thought hit home with all the caring for my children until they were grown I realized that the nurturing,teaching,meal preparing,and so forth are talents that are breed into us mother’s.Then my thought went to my little Pomeranian puppy who I just had to have(while waiting for another grandchild to come along)Needed all the same love and care my children needed.I began to realize that I only got this puppy to take care of because empty nest feelings began,and the mother in me had to care and love something in my life.the little bit of motherhood is not a little bit at all.Thank you Lord for making me a Mother.Jeanette