There isn’t time, so brief is life, for bickerings, apologies, heartburnings, callings to account. There is only time for loving, and but an instant, so to speak, for that.” Mark Twain
Many of you may know my dear cocker spaniel, Sophie. She’s been with me now for almost 14 years and has been my constant companion. In fact, some of my clients looked forward to seeing Sophie when they came for a session and would ask for her; if she wasn’t with me. She’s still with me although she doesn’t come to LifePath anymore. It’s difficult for her now because of her age but she seems happy at our home in the country. She has what the vets call “doggie dementia” so she gets confused but what she doesn’t get confused about is my relationship with her and how much I love her. She still bounces up and down, like a puppy, when I come home. And, I’m thrilled to see her, too.
Now, that’s love, don’t you think? I’m sure many of you can relate to this. My relationship with her is just one great example of the importance of relationships in our lives. A reader/friend of mine reminded me, last week, about the ongoing happiness study by Robert Waldinger conducted over 75 years. It’s called The Harvard Study of Adult Development and may be the longest study of adult life that’s ever been done. For 75 years, Waldinger and his team tracked the lives of 724 men, year after year, asking about their work, their home lives and their health. And, what Waldinger says about this is that “the clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”
I published this information in 2015 but I wanted to mention it again since relationships have been on my mind so much lately. Just click on the link below and you can see a TedTalk about this important study. And, I invite you to look at your own relationships.
Do you have good relationships? Are they nurturing your soul?
I’d love to hear from you at docbeverly@aol.com about your thoughts. I truly would.
Beverly
