Love to spare?

Since I moved to the convenient countryside of South Oxfordshire, I’ve wanted to get a dog, so I can have company on my long walks, but mostly so I can have someone to mirror my enthusiasm and energy, and so when I get home, someone is pleased to see me! So, I did one of those online surveys this week to find out what sort of pet would suit my lifestyle. Turns out, fish are the best match for me. Harsh! 
​
However, I’m determined to see this as a useful message and think about it like this: all the energy and effort that I would put into looking after a dog can now be channelled into looking after myself instead. All the ‘spare love’ I have at my fingertips can be angled towards myself – not in a self-absorbed way, but in a useful way. Rather than run myself ragged with taking on more work, more events, and more social engagements, I can take a step back and do the basics: go for a walk, lie down for a while, snooze, stare into the distance, be neutral… In fact, this sounds much like a dog’s life!