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Home is the place where Rico dwells.

Rico is the Carpenter family dog, an obese, green-bean loving golden retriever. With the various animals that have come and gone, Rico has been a constant. If there is any rule that has stuck with my family throughout the years, it is that Rico stays with the house. My brother’s and I have called dibs on various critters- a few interesting finds, a handful of oddly shaped dogs, a couple of kitties, and even a semi-domesticated duck that loved nothing more than to sleep on your bed snuggled up with your toes. These beings have found themselves all over Texas, but Rico remains in the Carpenter quarters.

Rico spends about 23.5 hours a day curled up on his bed. With the exception of a visit from one of the old kids, he only wakes for his peanut butter coated meds and the mailman. My beloved soul brother is in his last days. Though his giant cow body gets tired and his hips give way too easily, when we come home, we seem to spark a memory of canine youth and Rico is able to go on walks again or wake you up at 2 am to play the slimy rope game.

I was visiting home recently. My morning routine included laying with Rico on his pallet that is perpetually covered in his red hair and smells of his toxic pheromones. I curled up on his whiffy blanket with my morning coffee and stared at his graying face and cone-shaped head. He has embraced a strange, mysterious quality with his age that leaves me questioning the inner-workings of his mind. I can’t help but be left with the feeling that his beautiful dog-brain is filled with all sorts of esoteric thoughts, realizations that are beyond my understanding or that he is experiencing something profound, a kind of melancholic gentleness. Maybe it’s wisdom or sadness. Boredom, perhaps? As I lay down looking at my furry friend, I think back on his life and am warmed by the memories. Rico co-starring in a performance of the Miracle Worker, chasing police cars, Easters at Oak Lake, sick days he would lay by our side on the pallet in the living room floor. A week before Christmas he would dig his presents out of Mom’s closet. Throughout the periods of seemingly insufferable teenage angst, he was always there serving as a constant source of love and brightness that never ceased to unite our family. He flat out just makes the world a better place.

There is a profound warmth and incalculable gentleness that seems to exist in these inter-species companionships. It is this unique connection that makes me feel humble in the face of the big mysterious question mark of the universe. When confronted with the healing presence of an animal, I am warmed by a sense of hope for the world. Comforted and inspired, I feel suited to become the person I aspire to be and am eager to make the world the compassionate, responsive place that I yearn for. My heart softens. All can be forgiven. Love will prevail! It is quite dramatic actually.

Excusing my unabashed sentimentality, I am not alone in thinking that there is a unique healing power that accompanies an animal’s life. The strong emotional response that is elicited by animals merely serves as a testament to the all-around positive vibes that four legged beings provide. The ways in which animals participate in human healing are vast and innumerable, not to mention exciting. Equine therapy is being used in various parts of the country for adolescents struggling with eating disorders, children with autism, and individuals who have a physical disability. I’ve been hearing more and more about prison-based dog training programs. Within these programs, certain inmates are given the opportunity to train dogs that would otherwise be held captive in animal shelters. Once trained, the dogs become more adoptable, which is causing fewer stray pups to be put to sleep. A few programs are even training service dogs, which are always in high demand. In addition, the trainers are getting to experience an incredible sense of companionship. They are given an incentive to do better and learn valuable skills that can help them find jobs in the future. I’m reminded of the old adage; the only way to help yourself is to serve others. Put your energy into loving a dog and amazing things seems to happen.

This healing isn’t exclusive to humans. I’m sure many readers have heard of Tarra and Bella at the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. The story made a debut on Oprah and the touching friendship inspired a childrens’ book, written by Carol Buckley. The farm sanctuary is a retirement haven for female elephants in need of a better home. Tarra is a 36 year old Asian elephant. Bella is dog. The two of them are apparently inseparable. They eat, play, sleep and roam the land together every day. A few years ago, Bella had a spinal cord injury. Unable to walk or even wag her tail, she was stuck in the office so that she could recover. Instead of tromping around the 1800 acres of land, Tarra waited outside the office for three weeks, apparently concerned about her missing comrade. One day a faculty member carried Bella out to the balcony to see her concerned friend. The sight of her old partner in crime made her tail finally begin to wag. She was carried down to meet Tarra who was squealing in excitement and proceeded to pet her furry friend on the belly with her enormous elephant foot. They met like this every day until she healed.

When we become heavily absorbed in the busy-bodied lives we lead, it may be easy for us to lose sight of our potential. With all the corruption and sadness that we encounter every time we turn on the news, it becomes difficult to face the day with a sense of hope and excitement. For this disheartening predicament I recommend my most favorite remedy: animal time. Whether it is taking your pup on a W-A-L-K or napping with some kitties, I’m certain your day will look a little brighter. I know that anytime I become disenchanted with the current happenings, I can curl up with an old furry friend and be grounded in goodness of the world and in all the potential that merely believing in goodness creates. Thanks again, Rico. It’s been a blast.

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