OREGON (OHN) Currently, I work out of my home office and the family dog is just glaring at me as I attempt to finish up my news reports for the week.
This is after he has clearly let me know that he wanted to go for a walk, play ball, and have something interesting to eat.
My dog, more than likely, is healthier than me because according to recent findings, people like me who sit at their desk most of the day and do not move around, are twice as likely to suffer from heart attacks, diabetes and increase their risk of becoming disabled by 50%.
Playing, what’s that? I tend to do chores, submit creative work, eat, watch TV and sleep. My faithful four-legged companion, who in terms of dog years is 70, still knows that playing is vital to his health and happiness.
Perhaps I should enroll in racquetball, pickleball, or even bowling, especially if it gets me out of the house and moving again. According to a recent article on the dangers of sitting too much, exercise improves your circulation, lifts your mood by releasing endorphins, provides social activity stimulating the critical parts of the brain necessary for memory and recall.
Today my fluffy friend was so self-assured that he was going to let me know life’s necessities, just short of opening the door. He is firmly standing there letting out some small partial barks and literally scratching at the door where his leash rests. (He has already been let out for a brief time alone in the yard – which is insufficient to the bigger picture).
Now starts the famous toy on my lap trick along with a long stare and a glaze right near my fast-food lunch. His next move is to pull each toy out of his basket as if he could find the perfect toy, that I, too, would also take an interest in, hoping or believing that perhaps I would listen to his promptings. Instead, he finds his raw-hide chew to keep himself occupied, and then after a few moments at my feet, has chosen the ottoman to rest on where he can watch my every move until I get his message.
For anyone who has ever had the pleasure of owning a four-legged companion, you know this is not just my imagination. It may however, be a bit of my own conscience giving more meaning to his daily instincts, knowing that I have not been listening to my own.
If, at anytime, as you read the days news, you have an inkling to stop and grab some fresh air, a crisp apple, or participate in a fun activity, please immediately do so.
And now, to top it off, my dog is of course cleaning himself to show me he really does know the five basic necessities of life. Those are: a walk, a healthy bite to eat, to play (he is not afraid to ask for hugs) to stay clean, and of course, the biggest necessity of all, the nap.
Excited to finish my work, I have committed to allow myself to not only run errands, pay bills, finish meetings and those critical client commitments, but to also commit to myself that a little exercise might just go a long way in bringing some balance back to my mind and body in a world where work seems to be the priority and moms and journalists alike, let themselves go for a while, until a faithful friend provides a reminder. Take time for what matters most.
Source: Gerson, 04/29/14