Don't resist

So, when I started Blogtober some 22 days ago, a good friend of mine, a funny friend of mine, who I love dearly, who makes me laugh, said I could use him as inspiration or perhaps as the actual topic. He has been waiting. And so, with nine days to go, I think I have dragged it out enough. Here it is. The post inspired by him. Here is the post about resistance. The post about camping and dogs. Yes, you know who you are! And man, stop resisting what you love. Don’t resist these gifts from the universe. They are so good for you. And you know it.

I thought it might be best to start with resistance. And deal with that issue first. So for inspiration I went to Google. I am sure you will agree, full of reputable sources. And I have to tell you, I didn’t even need to click a link. The search titles said it all. ‘Why do we resist things that are good for us?’ Notice: good for us. ‘Why do we resist things which make us happy?’ Notice: happy. ‘Why do we resist things that we want the most?’ Notice: want the most. ‘Why do we resist what our soul wants?’ My friend, you know you want camping. You know you want our furry little companions, your beloved pet. Your dog.

I know I am being provocative in this post. But it is so much fun to be so. Because I know, it has already got a reaction. But really, it is not just me, the Google searches are so right. We so often resist the things that are good for us. Resist the things which make us happy. Resist the things we want the most, the things our soul wants the most. And what person, what soul could not want a puppy? What person could not find camping good for you? Find it makes you happy? How could being out in nature, seeing the stars, sitting by a campfire, chatting with friends, not be enjoyable? How could falling asleep to the sound of the waves, as the tide moves in or out, not be soothing? How could camping at Easter, with the beautiful full moon filling the sky, not be a delight?

So why resist? According to one Google search, when I eventually did click further in to discover what was being said, we are afraid of losing our identity. Hmm. If your identity is wrapped around hating camping and dogs, perhaps this could ring true. The next one I looked at tinybuddha.com talked about resisting what we might find and being nice to ourselves, resisting trusting a process and our own humanity. Jackpot!

Resisting camping and dogs is definitely about resisting what we might find. Loving camping and dogs is all about being nice to ourselves, trusting the process and being fully human. So stop. Stop resisting camping. Stop resisting our little furry friends. Stop resisting being human. Camping and dogs, the most human anyone can get. Yes.

‘And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.’ Shanti

So let’s talk about camping. The benefits. Again, let’s go to the official sources via Google. And immediately I am hit with the answers. I find exactly what I need. Camping: the ten benefits. When you spend more time out with trees you take in more oxygen. Boom! Gotcha! Other benefits include improved moods, increased socialisation, good food, sunshine, exercise, less stress, a good night’s sleep, time with friends. Who would not want to go camping. It is the solution to all the woes of the modern world. C’mon, you know it.

Who would not want to let their hair go wild and wooly, let it clump together from the sand and surf? Who would not want that much dirt between their toes? And yes, as Shanti says, it makes your eye’s sparkle. Sparkle as you wake up smelling of the fire the night before. Sparkle as you see the sunset rise above the glistening waves. Sparkle as you sit with friends and laugh without a care in the world (other than if you have enough fire wood for the evening). The freedom of Rosella’s landing on your head. The butterflies you catch in the palm of your hands. Camping. It is magical.

‘No one can fully understand the meaning of love unless he's owned a dog.’ Gene Hill

Now let’s talk about dogs. Our loyal companions. Google again (thank you). Dogs help you have a healthier heart. ‘They don’t just fill it, they actually make it stronger.’ (Thanks Huffpost) No who can argue with that. And wait, there is more! Dogs help you keep fit and active. Dogs improve your social life (yeah, just look at the 101 Dalmatians story, the dog owners got tangled in the leads, met, fell in love and then got married). Dogs reduce stress, just like camping!! Dogs add meaning and purpose to your life. Yeah they do. Dogs stave off depression. I know it. (So do others including goldenretrieverlove.com) Dogs even prevent allergies. Man, what don’t dogs do?

But seriously. Who could not love a dog? Love that wet nose and sloppy tongue waking you in the morning, or persistently licking your hands before moving to your face while you are trying to meditate (and trying to ignore your furry friend). Who cannot love that warm ball of fluff who takes up most of the bed, even though they are really tiny, much tinier than you, but somehow they own the bed!? But come on. The unconditional love. The companionship. The knowing. When they rest their head gently on your lap when you feel sad. When they smile their goofy smile at you after they have done something bad. How they teach us that the best thing in life is to stick your head outside the window of a car and feel the wind in your face. To run with great excitement to greet the person you love the most. To be loyal. Kind. To sun yourself when you need to. Sleep all day if you have to. That cuddling is the best way to pass time.

And as you all run off to buy a dog and a tent. And my dear friend reads this in the tent he has set up in his back yard, his dog on his lap. I think we need, at this moment, a little Maya Angelou. Because really, she says it best. And I am positive she had camping and dogs in mind when she said the following.

‘Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away’ Maya Angelou