If your pet could talk, what would be the first thing it says?
Dogs are pretty easy animals to care for. I often think they only need three things: food, exercise and companionship.
If our dog could talk, her first word might be “Chicken!” She gets a chicken strip every morning and learned that word very quickly.
Or maybe “Park!” She loves walking through the university and down to the lake, or having a quick run around the nearby forest during the afternoon.
But the thing she would probably say at almost any time of day is, “Let’s play.” There is very little she enjoys more. If you want to be friends with Nia, play with her. Throw something. Chase her. Let her chase you. It rarely fails.
And perhaps that says something about what companionship really means. It is not just being nearby. It is not only making sure someone has what they need. Play means entering her world.
That is true of people as well. We often think care means providing, helping, fixing or supporting. All of that matters. But sometimes care looks simpler than that. To care for someone is not only to provide what they need; it is sometimes to participate in what they love.
Watch the game. Listen to the music. Take an interest in the hobby. Go for the walk. Or, in Nia’s case, chase me or throw the ball one more time.
Perhaps “Let’s play” is simply another way of saying: Let’s share life together.
The Afterword 
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