Day 1600

So very proud of Sammy! He just became the newest Mercy Hospital Therapy Dog! Walking the halls, sharing some love and making this world a better place was his goal and he did not disappoint! (Thanks to Monica for her support!)

At this new, and most demanding venue, Sam was inundated with smells, bustling humans, challenging sounds and a plethora of human touch. He took it all (mostly) in stride and relished the countless hands that reached out to calm their hearts. He really was wonderful!

My expectations for that sweet Golden were off the charts! Imagine taking a toddler into an amusement park and asking them to remain calm and in control…a pretty close analogy. For hours after our hospital visit, I thought about that and decided that, although expectations are important, surrounding those assumptions of behavior needs a healthy dose of empathy and compassion to be added into the mix.

As my interactions throughout the day mounted up, my reactions softened considerably. With each human connection, I realized that my expectations were not necessarily shared by the other person. We come to each table with the thought that we are all on the same page. Once I realized that the pages were different (sometimes it wasn’t even the same book), I could step back, dig into my empathy and change my expectations. It worked wonders!

Sam helped me remember that everone has their own agenda and, that meeting near the middle of an encounter, people can feel “heard and understood.” That is what we all need and want!

Congratulations to our Sammy! You went WAY PAST MY EXPECTATIONS and helped me to allow empathy a more prominent place in my heart.