Ilmarë is in her happy place. Her happy place looks cold and uninviting to me, yet here she is content in the bushes burrowed into the snow. Ilmarë (aka MarMar) is very anxious about small and insignificant noises. If the heat clicks on or the refrigerator clanks, she leaps up and paces around in a panic. The dishwasher is her nemesis and let's not even talk about the toaster. In our previous home there was dog door and the dogs could come and go as they pleased. MarMar spent most of her time outside and seems to prefer frigid temperatures. She has a luxuriously thick coat that keeps her nice and warm. We no longer have a dog door so we let her out often to do what she wants to do. She can usually be found in the most uninviting places such as in the gravel under the vehicles, hanging out in the pouring rain, or if it snows (which is rare here) burrowed down deep in the snow loving life. Who am I to judge her happy place? I just try to provide one for her the best that I can.
The dog who was afraid of toast
I'm sure that many of us can relate. There are things that cause us anxiety. Hopefully in your life it isn't just making breakfast, but maybe it is. It is imperative to have a place that makes us happy, that makes us feel safe, and that we can retreat to when the world seems too much. My happy place is in nature. A walk in the woods or at the beach feeds my soul like nothing else. My husband particularly likes mountain summits. There are other places that make me happy. My "Bear Den" which is a shed we put up as my office/studio is my sanctuary where I go to meditate, create art, to work and relax. It is a place that is only for me with many of my favorite things. A happy place can be a room you set aside in your home where you create sacred space. It can be at a park or library. It can even be in your favorite chair curled up with a good book. Where your happy place is is not what is important. What is important is that you find a place where you can be at peace, a place where you can relax and let go of the struggles we all face. It is a place where you can get quiet and meet with your soul. Having little moments in your happy place, even if it only exists in your mind will go a long way to opening up your energy, freeing up space in your mind and allowing you to breathe and just be. Where is your happy place? Is it time to create one?
