Health & Wellness

Friends, Pets, and Doing Things Just for Fun

According to author Shelley Peterman Schwarz, people need to do things just for fun whenever possible, especially when one must cope with a disability or chronic illness. Seeing a friend, enjoying a pet, or just doing something completely silly, are the types of things that lift one's spirits and fill one's heart with joy. In the story to follow, Shelley talks about a fun and out-of-the ordinary experience she had with a friend and their pets.

The Best $20 I Ever Spent...
A Tail of Intrigue

By Shelley Peterman Schwarz

I'll admit I'm a little quirky, so when I wrote an email to my husband Dave telling him that I was taking our dog Chueco (pronounced "Schway-Ko," Spanish for "a little off kilter") to a pet psychic, I could see his eyes rolling in his head. Within minutes I had his typical, clever response. "I am keeping a copy of this email for my files. I'm sure the judge will be interested in it at your commitment hearing." I laughed out loud and was tickled that once again I was adding a little fun to my life, a life that is often filled with the challenges and frustrations of living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

It all began when my girlfriend Carol called me shortly after listening to our local morning news show. "Shelley, the Humane Society is having a fundraiser. A pet psychic is here from Portland, Oregon, and she will do readings of your dog or cat for $20. Do you want to go?"

I had to chuckle. Carol was one of my "saner" friends. I have been known to visit "psychics for people" over the years, but a pet psychic - that was a stretch even for me.

I love new adventures and spending time with Carol. I knew she needed a pick-me-up; the year had been difficult for her. Having retired from her job the year before, she devoted herself to caring for her family, especially her ill mother. In addition, Carol has MS, and she felt as though her disease might be worsening.

As we giggled about the absurdity of taking our dogs to a psychic, I agreed to call the pet store where the readings were being held to see if we could get an appointment. This silliness was already lifting our spirits and putting smiles on our faces. After retuning home, I made two 15-minute appointments - one for Chueco and one for "Lacey-Lou," a mixed-breed dog that Carol adopted from an animal-rescue shelter.

I probably should explain that I have never really been a pet lover. Chueco belonged to my 29 year-old son, Andrew. My husband and I were dog sitting while our son was away on a six-month sabbatical.

Andrew adopted Chueco four years earlier while working as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Chueco was a "mutt" puppy; a mixture of who-knows-what, trying to find his way in the world. My son and Chueco bonded heart and soul; both depending on the other for survival. I credit Chueco with keeping my son company in this remote village. It was a difficult time, made easier by this easy going, wonderful dog.

When the time for our appointment came, Carol and I arrived at the pet store with Cheuco and Lacey-Lou in tow, anticipating (for fun) that the dog-to-human language barrier would finally be broken. What were our pets thinking? Do they have human thoughts? Certainly our $20 would be well spent to finally get some answers.

The pet store had an area off to the side where the dog psychic met with her clients and "read" each dog's mind. Even though lots of dogs were milling about, the dog psychic was able to focus on the one who had the appointment. The dog psychic didn't even ask the dog questions, she just explained what was on the dog's mind.

"Chueco knows he's on vacation with you. He likes you alright, but he thinks your foods and the smells in your house are very strange," stated the psychic. She went on to say, "Your son and Chueco have a strong bond and he really misses your son. Chueco is saying, 'Enough already. It's time for Andrew to come home NOW!'"

Carol's dog Lacey-Lou also had a few things to say. According to the psychic, the main message was that Lacey-Lou has had a difficult journey; she needs to be with the family all of the time, and needs a lot of love.

Did the psychic really pick-up our dogs' thoughts? Carol thought what the psychic said about her dog was interesting, since she had adopted Lacey-Lou from an animal shelter. Some interesting things came from Chueco's reading as well.

According to the psychic, Chueco was thinking about being on vacation with us. Considering I told the psychic that Chueco was staying with us while our son was away, this might not be what one would consider "psychic information." However, she also mentioned the strange foods and smells in our house. My husband and I regularly cook exotic meals and he is always putting drippings and scraps into Chueco's bowl to make his dog food "more interesting." Leftover curried chicken, wild rice with saffron, vegetables and tofu with Thai peanut sauce, red cabbage with apples and wine, are examples of regular fare in Chueco's bowl.

She mentioned the strong bond with Andrew, which I had told her, but then there was the part about Cheuco thinking it was time for Andrew to come home "NOW!" Andrew had been gone for several months and was not scheduled to return for another few months, so the psychic's words did not make much of an impression - at least not until I arrived home. After returning, I opened my email to find a message from Andrew. He was cutting his trip short and coming home early! It hit me as a little eerie, especially after the psychic's words earlier that day.

The best part of the psychic's visit, however, was that Chueco and I got closer. Chueco has always been a "guy's dog," responding more to Dave than to me, rarely paying attention to women. Whenever I tried to approach Chueco in my three-wheeled Amigo scooter wheelchair, he always moved away and out of my reach. Yet after the visit to the psychic, Chueco let me pet him and scratch his back. He even found a place in my office where he could lie during the work day and be close to me. There was a complete change in our relationship.

Do I think the psychic really talked for Chueco? Who knows? But you have to admit, it's a fun story to tell and it never ceases to intrigue people. Having lived with MS for more than 25 years, I know that keeping a positive attitude and bringing fun into our lives is very important for our physical and mental health. So the next time you have an opportunity to do something fun, or even silly - as long as it causes no harm - do it!

And if a pet psychic comes to town, think of the fun it could bring to your life. For me, it was the best $20 I ever spent and half of it was tax deductible, going to a worthy cause. This was four years ago and I'm still having fun with the story.

This article was written for The Motivator by Shelley Peterman Schwarz, president of Meeting Life's Challenges, LLC, an organization dedicated to providing helpful information and encouragement to individuals coping with aging, chronic illness, or disability. Readers may visit the organization's website at www.meetinglifeschallenges.com, or contact them by calling (608) 824-0402. Shelley has written seven books so far, including a series of "helpful tips" books on topics of interest for individuals with disabilities. Her articles have appeared in publications throughout the United States and in other countries.

Back