01/29/2026
Sometimes the most important thing we can do is stop for what everyone else walks past.
I was out of state visiting my daughter while she looked for an emotional support animal. Like most people, we were drawn to the small puppies—the “easy” ones.
But then I noticed a big 12-week-old pup being ignored by everyone.
When I asked to meet her, the staff warned me:
“You don’t want her. She’s wild.”
I said, “That’s exactly why I want to see her.”
And wow… they were right. She came in bouncing off the walls—biting, jumping, total Turner & H***h energy.
But I picked her up, held her close, and said softly:
“Hey buddy… you’ve got to calm down to get adopted.”
She didn’t listen with her ears—she listened with her nervous system.
She could feel someone anchoring her. Holding space. Not flinching.
And it reminded me: that’s what therapy is.
Presence. Patience. Connection. Sitting with the “wild” without turning away.
Things feel pretty wild right now in the world.
Don’t forget to slow down, breathe, and find the spaces (and people) that can hold you when life feels like too much.
And when you can… be that space for someone else.
🐾
