life transformations with adopting a dog
istanbul life > luna
two weeks after adopting luna
i (re)named her luna, because she follows me around, like the moon — in all the countries I slow-traveled through these last years, always offering me light and comfort, no matter how dark.
i adopted her two weeks ago, and for two weeks, i’ve been crash-landing-adjusting to the radical ways in which life changes with a dog. it is, certainly, like having a child (who never grows up). you are never quite alone again in the same way - for better or worse - and at the same time, there’s something about animal companionship which makes being with humans easier, or — unnecessary. I will ennumerate the ways.
a daily rhythm of motion / the antidote to inertia. I’m a homebody who is completely prone to being stuck in the house all day, for many days in a row. it’s also too easy for me to feel stuck in my head, and falling into pools of thought. she is my antidote to physical and mental inertia. I feel lighter; more in flow.
my day is divided into 3-4 hour chunks. I take her out every ~3 hours to pee, during which I go on walks with her of between 15 minutes to an hour, or hour and a half. this means that I’m forced to take breaks from the digital world, the world in my head, and exist in the tactile, dirt-and-grass-and-concrete-and-poop world.
I learn to be in the present moment. dogs — like all animals besides humans - are always in the present moment. she’s interested in sniffing things, exploring, chasing. she doesn’t overthink her past or future; time is always now. I take inspiration from that way of existing.
I see and experience more of the city than I have before. we go on long walks everyday, and I’m infinitely more inclined to discover new paths, venture into unfamiliar places, take another winding road, just because she is by my side — I feel the weight of attachment and companionship, like an anchor that grounds me. somehow, I feel like as much as I take care of her, she takes care of me, and makes me feel safer in this city, opens me to people and connections more.
I feel the joy of making another creature happy. dogs are easy to make happy - and caring for her gives me such an outlet for my desire to nurture.
I feel a loyalty, attachment, and love. animal love is a different kind of love — a simpler love, a love without wounds or traumas. being loved by an animal feels like a salve for deep longing inside, and at the same time, loving her feels like loving my inner child. I can feel that loving her is a practice that can teach me things about love, in general, and the act of loving myself.
she came into my life so magically, having lived already two past lives with previous owners (both male), who both left her for new countries. she is both calm and energetic, independent and attached, sweet and assertive.
I’m starting to slowly buy balls for her to play with, a watermelon printed leash, and learning about dogs, and dog training. more updates soon.
> luna diaries
