Somethings become a habit, and you never know that it has become a habit; until it suddenly halts and you miss the habit and the joy it gave (assuming it gave joy.. in my case, this habit certainly did give a lot of joy (late realisation:-)!!

Mr. D and his daily routine.. After his morning vigorous walk and his breakfast, this boy will sleep the whole day, and would wake up in between for his lunch, if he wants to eat. Around 6 in the evening, he would be wide awake and would want to play. He will come to where I am and keep looking at me. You see, I would be only one available in the house who could do what he wants. If I don’t give him that attention, he will start his bark. If I am engaged in some other work, I have to take a break from it and engage him. Otherwise the bark wiill get louder and consistent. At times, his bark would be a sensory overload for me and to minimise it, I would give in to him. At other times, when I don’t want to engage with him, I would put his biscuits in different places in the house and that will trigger his olfactory nerves; and he will go sniffing all around the house. That was super fun to watch 🙂

Initially I didn’t know what he was asking for until one day, I started to chase him because the bark got to me; and he started to run. He would run a few steps, stop and bark again. One day led to another and another and here began our evening play time. Dogs or humans, we all become conditioned!!

On the evenings that I would not be at home at that time, he would greet me with a bark as soon as I would come. I would gather myself for a few minutes and play with him.

This playing stopped for a few days after my ankle reconstruction surgery but not for long. It resumed with me in the wheelchair, playing with him.

What did this playtime involve? Mr. D has his sturdy play toys which he would clutch in his mouth and run. If I run behind him, it means I am going to take it from him. At times, he will drop it and if I take one step towards him, he will grab it in his mouth and run again. For me, it would be, “What re you grabbing it for and running? I don’t need it.” For him it is “Oh no, she is coming to take mine. Take it and run.” One play toy and different perspectives!!

Someone had said that when you walk in a figure of ‘8’, it is good for physical fitness. Our living room furniture is placed in such a way that we can actually make that figure of ‘8’ walk. For Mr. D and me, it was a figure of ‘8’ run. We would literally run in the figure of ‘8’, one behind the other; sometimes me in the front and sometimes Mr. D.

After 15 minutes of this run, both of us will slow down and finally stop – panting and huffing and puffing; and Mr. D with his tongue out to cool down.

What happened when I was in the wheelchair after the surgery? The figure of ‘8’ became half of 8, a figure of ‘3’,.. Mathematically wrong but ‘figuratively’ right :-).. Look at what Mr. D has done to me, made me think mathematically – those who know me well, know my fondness for this subject!!!

Why a figure of ‘3’? The wheelchair could be manouvered to only that extent.. Did that reduce Mr. D’s interest to play? Oh no, certainly not. Play is play, distance doesn’t matter.

Well, be content with what you get, big or small doesn’t matter.. What a motto in life for Mr. D!! Fascinating to watch this motto at play, each time, every time!! 

For him, he wanted to do what he needed to do – Engage in playtime. The others around him would change and shift their plans and schedule to give what he needed.

When you want something in life, bark for it.. oops, sorry, ask for it!! Keep asking and keep pushing.  You may get it a little while after you ask or years later.. Over a period of time, your ask will make the system around you to support you, when they see that your want is actually your need; or rather their need!! 

I am sure Mr. D is giving more joy to whoever and wherever he is and also receiving more love from whoever he is with!!

You never know what you have got until it is missing!!