Losing an animal friend

Today I’m going to write about something that might not be so cheerful, but is certainly a part of life; death.

To be more specific; the death of my best furry friend, my dog. Some people will say it was just a dog, that grieving over a dog is not comparable to grieving human death. But he was part of the family, for over 8 years, and his death was too early and too sudden.

The most difficult part of losing a living being, who was such a big part of my life, is that he will never come back. I can adopt a thousand dogs, and no one will ever be like him. There isn’t a single dog in the world who has the same beautiful eyes, the incredible capacity to be the best of friends. No one will ever make the same happy barking sounds again when I come home, nor sit by my side in difficult times.

He was the best of friends, a loyal companion, a living being who gave so much joy, laughter, love and peace.

Never shall I say that an animal is not capable of loving, of caring, of being an emotional and intelligent being. Having lived so many years by his side has taught me how amazing it can be to love another living being unconditionally.

Never again. Never again will he sit on my feet while I study, never again will I be able to embrace him while sitting in the sun. Never again can I laugh about his pranks and intelligence. All the never again’s, all the small things, all the thousands of memories…Like a mantra it keeps going on in my head.

It leaves me behind in sadness, with an emptiness so big you can’t believe it’s possible for 17 kilos of fur and intelligent eyes and limitless energy to leave such a void.

Never again is a long time. It’s too long. It’s too difficult to imagine. But that’s how things are, that’s the way life is. That’s the risk of loving another living being with all your heart.

But you know what? I would do it all over again. I would love another dog just as much, care for it just like I cared for him, because there are many, many dogs out there that deserve to live happily and in safety. Even though it means that eventually I will lose them.

All I can say to lighten up is that we gave him the best possible life. Full of freedom, love, care. And he lived healthy until his last hour.

I want to add some quotes, to celebrate the endless love, joy and peace other living beings can bring into our lives.

"Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, Filling an emptiness we don't even know we have."

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."

“Grief is so painfully real, regardless of its origin. The love of, and attachment to, an animal friend can equal that of human relationships. Likewise, the loss of an animal can be just as devastating.”

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.”

The greatest lesson I have learnt from this? Live as if someone left the gate open!! :)

fears about future challenge / miedos sobre futuros retos

This week I am really going to start my study at the UNED (university at distance). For months I have looked forward to it, wishing this moment to come. But now that it is about to begin, I am filled with doubts and fears. I don’t feel capable of doing it; a million questions go around in my brain. What if I’m not smart enough? How am I ever going to be able to study so much? How am I ever going to manage the hundreds, thousands, of pages of information all on my own, as with this university you don’t go to classes and have teachers explaining it all for you…

I’m scared. Yes. Now that the time has finally come I doubt more about myself than ever before.

But… there are thoughts that can help me. Thoughts that tell me that there is no need to be scared. Thoughts that might also help you, dear reader, if you are in a situation like me about to begin a new challenge in life and doubting yourself:

-millions of people before me have studied at the university, and thousands at the UNED, and they have all made it. Some will have been a lot smarter than me, but surely that some were also less smart. I am not the only one

-then most important: step by step. This challenge now seems an endless mountain of 4 long years. Looking at something in this way would discourage even the strongest. Just look how it goes step by step. No one has ever climbed a mountain in one enormous step, but in a million, billion little steps, always thinking about where to put the foot next. So that is what I will do.

I hope, in four years time, I will be able to proudly announce to have ended my academic study of environmental sciences. But for the moment, four years to the future seems endlessly far away, and all I will focus on is next week.

Have a good day dear reader! May you overcome all your challenges and be happy.

Men often become what they believe themselves to be.

If I believe I can't do something,  it makes me incapable of doing it.

But when I believe I can, then I aquire the ability to do it even if I didnt have it at the beginning.

Mahatma Ghandi 

Esta semana realmente voy a comenzar mis estudios en la UNED (Universidad a distancia). Durante meses he esperado con ganas para este momento, deseando este momento para venir. Pero ahora que está a punto de comenzar, estoy lleno de dudas y temores. No me siento capaz de hacerlo, un millón de preguntas dan vueltas en mi cabeza. ¿Qué pasa si no soy lo suficientemente inteligente? ¿Cómo voy a ser capaz de estudiar tanto? ¿Cómo voy a manejar los cientos, miles, de páginas de información por mi propia cuenta, ya que con esta universidad no tienes clases y con profesores quien te explican las cosas ... 

Tengo miedo. Sí. Ahora que el tiempo finalmente ha llegado, dudo de mí mismo más que nunca. 

Pero... hay pensamientos que me puedan ayudar. Los pensamientos que me dicen que no hay necesidad de tener miedo. Los pensamientos que también podría ayudarte, querido lector, si estas en una situación como yo a punto de comenzar un nuevo reto en la vida y dudas de ti mismo: 

-Millones de personas antes que yo han estudiado en la universidad, y miles de personas en la UNED, y todos ellos lo han conseguido. Algunos han sido mucho más inteligente que yo, pero seguro que algunos también eran menos inteligentes. Yo no soy la única. 

- y lo más importante: paso a paso. Este reto parece ahora una montaña infinita de 4 años. Mirando a algo de esa manera va a desmotivar incluso a los más fuertes. Simplemente hay que mirar cómo se va paso a paso. Nadie ha subido una montaña en un paso enorme, pero en un millón, mil millones de pequeños pasos, siempre pensando en dónde poner el pie ahora. Así que eso es lo que voy a hacer.

Espero que, dentro de cuatro años, voy a ser capaz de anunciar con orgullo que he terminado el grado de ciencias ambientales. Pero por el momento, cuatro años hacia el futuro parece infinitamente lejos, y solo me centrare en la próxima semana que viene.

Que tengas un buen día querido lector!! Deseo que puedas superar todos tus desafíos y ser feliz. 

Los seres humanos suelen ser lo que creen que son.

Si creo que no puede hacer algo, esto me hace incapaz de hacerlo.

Pero cuando creo que puedo, entonces adquiero la capacidad de hacerlo, incluso si no lo tenia al principio

Mahatma Ghandi 

Gratitude / Gratitud

 The feeling of gratitude is often confused with a feeling of owing something to someone. It gives a feeling of debt, of having to de equal favor to the other so as to be released from that debt. 

An example to clarify what I mean; if a person helps a friend to get a job, that friend will feel like he owes something to the one that has helped him.

But gratitude must not be like that; a debt, a favor. Gratitude is a positive prayer of thanks towards certain people, happenings or the Universe. There is no must to feel gratitude when something to be grateful for crosses your road. You can or cannot feel grateful, that is completely your own choice. Though I believe that feeling grateful does indeed make you feel happier, appreciate more what you have and all the positive thinking might attract more good things ;)

The best prayer is not that of begging, but that of gratitude.

 El sentimiento de gratitud se confunde a menudo con una sensación deber algo a alguien. Da una sensación de deuda, de tener que hacer igual favor al otro para liberarse de esa deuda.

Un ejemplo para aclarar lo que quiero decir, si una persona ayuda a un amigo para conseguir un trabajo, ese amigo se siente como si él le debe algo a el quien le ha ayudado..

Pero la gratitud no debe ser así, una deuda, un favor. La gratitud es una oración de agradecimiento positivo hacia ciertas personas, sucesos o el Universo. No hay ninguna obligación de sentir gratitud cuando algo bueno cruza tu camino. Puedes o no puedes sentir gratitud, eso es totalmente tu propia elección. Aunque yo creo que sentirse agradecido realmente te hace sentir más feliz, te hace apreciar mas lo que tienes y todo el pensamiento positivo puede atraer más cosas buenas ;)

La mejor oración no es el de suplicar, sino de gratitud.

creativity Quote / Frase de creatividad

I always write texts here, I enjoy expressing myself and letting people know what I think. But like anyone, sometimes I lack creativity despite the great need I feel to express myself. I will write several texts and end up throwing them all away, because they don’t express what I feel in my heart. So imagine how I laughed when I found the following quote, which is absolutely true:

“-You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.
-What mood is that?
-Last-minute panic.”
Calvin & Hobbes

Siempre escribo los textos aquí, me gusta expresarme y que la gente sepa lo que pienso. Pero como cualquier persona, a veces me falta la creatividad a pesar de la gran necesidad que tengo de expresarme. soy capaz de escribir varios textos para acabar tirándolos a la basura, porque no expresan lo que siento en mi corazón. Así que imagínense cómo me reí cuando encontré la siguiente frase, que es absolutamente cierto:

"-No se puede encender la creatividad como un grifo. Usted tiene que estar en el estado de ánimo adecuado.
 -Qué estado de ánimo es eso?
 -Pánico del ultimo momento. "
Calvin y Hobbes