I saw an article today that I couldn’t help but smile as I read. It discussed the effect that walking a dog had on happiness. The reason the dog walkers were so happy was because they were walking dogs awaiting adoption at a no-kill shelter nearby. This would make anyone happy knowing that they are helping a dog exercise that would otherwise be cooped up at the shelter. However, as I read I began to think of how happy I am when I am walking my own dog. Though there are days that I dread walking her (aka the days where the temperature is way below freezing, or the days that you could roast a marshmallow on the sidewalk) but most days I find solace in walking her. There is a sense of peace that comes over me when it’s just us surrounded by trees and miles of hiking trails ahead of us.
Though dogs may not have the complex emotions that we have, the bouncy way my dog trots along when we go for a hike, to me, exudes happiness. A happiness that is shared by me while the sun shines down, the fresh air fills my lungs and the endorphins of physical activity are released.
It’s the small things in life that we have to find happiness from, the things that at times become so routine that we take them for granted. Things like walking the dog, that when we really take a second to look at it, can make our lives lighter, brighter and happier.
Here is the article that inspired my post: Dogwalkers Inspire Happiness
Love, American Beautiful 