People wonder why he is still with me. Sometimes so do I!!!!! He has caused such upheaval in my life that, I will not deny, has been very challenging. There have been days when I have gone as far as to put adds looking for a new home for him. I knew that he wasn't going anywhere though.
Tommy came into my life long before I adopted him. He was roaming the streets of my neighbourhood for 3 years pior to attaching himself to me, probably checking out the ins and outs of his future home. Actually he first attached himself to Nin running directly at us when he got the slightest clue as to our whereabouts on the street. He would come whining and crying as he galloped towards us. We would walk together and play together and he would finally end up outside our house leaving only after he had made sure that we wouldn't come out again. Towards the end of his stray life he had actually started coming up to our front door at random times and pawing it while whining to get his friend out to play with him.
One day it was heard amongst the doggy world of Kifissia that someone had viciously poked the eye out of one of the stray dogs!!! Not knowing who it was I asked around and found out that it was Tommy. I felt sick to my stomach and although wanted to go and see him feared that I would only upset him if I showed up at the vet clinic he was held at. His eye was removed and closed up and then he was left out on the street again. I found him as thin as ever (as they don't feed the strays properly at the vets so that they don't dirty their cage!!!) roaming the once familiar streets while bumping into cars. His eye still had stitches and noone had bothered to take him for them to be removed and was, therefore all swollen and sore.
I took one look at Nin and said 'should we?' and he clearly replied 'Yes' so he came to live with us. Life instantly became more complicated. I never thought that there was a difference between owning one dog and owning two. Suddenly you are an attraction on the streets, access is denied where it otherwise was clear, and you feel a lot less powerfull once they start lunging at other animals etc......
Tommy had a lot to learn. He had to learn to relax and enjoy life with out being so uptight all the time. He was scared and insecure and had to learn to trust me. He clearly wanted to say goodbye to street life, though, and so he was very co-operative.
Things Tommy has learnt (after a lot of hard work on my part and many many sets of essential oils for the release of trauma):
- You can sleep through a whole night without jumping in your sleep
- When a face comes close to you and touches you it feels good and you don't need to back away (kiss)
- Being on a leash provides security
- You don't need to worry about food and water
- You don't need to grab the food that is being given to you
- You can walk through another dog's territory without getting attacked
- You can hold your bladder for a lot longer than expected
- There is peace and quiet
- There is play
- There is love
- One needs to sit to be given things
- Rules, bounderies and limitations (Cezar Milan)
- You can exist with one eye
- There is a better life
- Life is carefree
- It isn't allowed to chase cats ( a little too late unfortunately (future post))
I always believed him to be special and this thought is what has stopped me from sending him away. He has come with a lesson. A serious and important lesson for me and although I had to pay a severe price (the loss of my beloved cat to his jaws) I know that there will be a reason.
This is for you Tommy. I am finally ready to embrace you wholeheartedly and to accept you as my own. We are sticking together for better or for worse. I love you.
