The Most Beautiful Sound

One thing that has become my most favourite sound is my bedroom door opening. It’s an older wooden sliding door and perhaps you can imagine the rattling sound it makes as it slowly and gently opens. It is being opened by a dog. Not just any dog …

this is the dog that saved me. Uatu is his name.

Last year I was going through a tough time, it seemed my whole life turned upside down when I was diagnosed with depression and adrenal fatigue, and most areas of my life and business seemed to collapse around me from then.

A few weeks later a wonderful friend called and (from the sound of my voice) suggested I come and stay with her for however long I needed. She lives on a large block filled with very big trees, lots of birds singing, and beautiful surrounds and that in itself was therapeutic. She also has dogs and it is one of these dogs that instantly took a like to me, well he loved me, from the very first moment we met. He hovered a moment and then gently stepped up, all 48 kilos of him, and placed his front paws onto my shoulders and looked me in the eye. It was a definite look and a feeling of connection.

This is the beautiful creature that became my shadow and showed me love and offection.

It was an experience I had never had, and his owner let me know he had not behaved like this with anyone else.

Uatu seemed to know I was not happy, or when I was in the midst of depression and needed some comforting, or just wanted to sit, or to sleep on a couch or my bed. He would curl up on the floor at my feet or sit with his front legs over me as if to cuddle and hold me, or jump up onto my bed and snuggle in and sleep.

I felt loved. The unconditional love that comes from a dog that loves me.

The first morning I stayed in the guest room, I heard the rattle of the door at about 7am. The door slightly opened and as I looked up there was his face peering in and as our eyes connected, he bounded in and onto my bed and stopped with his face right in my personal space. His tail wagged with excitement and that started the whole bed wobbling!!

I laughed. How could I not laugh with a happy dog, so close, looking at me and wobbling the bed? I laughed, really laughed, for the first time in a long time. It was an almost uncontrollable laugh. I knew at that very moment I was in the right place and I felt loved.

He jumped off the bed and brought back his favourite soft toy. I believe this is something dogs do as to give a gift to a friend or someone they really care for. It looked so odd, Uatu, the huge dog with a little soft toy. He dropped it next to me and then he lay down beside me again and fell asleep.

That became the morning routine. Even if I wished to get up earlier I stayed and waited for Uatu to come in and have our time together. It was a lovely and priceless way to start the day. On days I did not feel like getting up, (and those days were often and persistent) he would stay with me until I was ready to get up out of bed for the day.

Throughout the days he leant on me as he walked beside me, never stepped in front of me, (what a gentleman) he ran with me, played with me, sat with me in the sunshine, sat on me on a couch, and knew when I was happy and when I was not. He snuggled when I cried and wagged his tale when I was happy.

I have owned dogs in the past and never had such a loving caring dog show affection for me in the way Uatu did when I needed it most and he continues to do so now.

Uatu has taught me to be calm, to rest, and that laughter in the morning is a wonderful way to start any day. He has taught me that I could love again and that sharing my feelings and connecting is a wonderful thing. He saved me when I most needed someone who comforted me, understood me, and did not question what I was doing or not doing. I would talk to him and he would look at me as if he understood every word.

It was a time of healing, thinking and writing and Uatu was there for me all the way.

Even now when I visit, he has a routine. He walks into my room to check that I have left my luggage there, and then walks into my bathroom to check my toilet bag is there and then he comes and sits next to me with his special soft toy, happy knowing that I’m staying.

He shows me his cheeky personality and is not demanding of me. He seems happy just to be with me.

So, when I stay at Uatu’s home, I wait to hear my favourite sound of my bedroom door being opened and then seeing Uatu’s cheeky look as he waits for permission to enter my room and jump on my bed, knowing I’m sure, he is going to make me happy.

Dogs are wonderful!

Spend more time with dogs.

If you have seen photos of a very large dog, Uatu, on my social media sites, this story may give you some inside of the affection he shows me and the way in which he has helped me.

Please share your stories below of dogs, or other animals that have helped you when you needed someone to be there for you.

Mx