Learning Love: A Lesson from My Shih Tzu Dog, Iva

Tina Ashok Dhingra
3 min readOct 14, 2023

A most beautiful bond with my dog, through the new love perspective.

(Me with My Pet -IVA)

In my life, I’ve learned that some of the most important lessons can come from unexpected places. Love, a complex and wonderful feeling, came to me through my two-year-old Shih Tzu dog, Iva.

Discovering Love’s Real Meaning

Watching Iva run around with so much joy showed me that love has no strict rules. Love is about sharing and caring, a special connection that doesn’t need anything in return.

It’s the most honest kind of bond that grows strongest when you expect nothing back.

Understanding Limits

Iva, being a dog, has certain things she can’t do. She can’t help with chores or open doors when someone knocks.

But sometimes, I’d imagine what it would be like if she could cook or help me with tasks. I’d even ask her for assistance.

However, I eventually realized that these ideas were just fantasies. Iva’s limits are part of being a dog, just as we have our limits as humans.

Letting Go of Expectations

Iva’s actions made me think about how I interact with people, especially those I care about.

I started to understand that everyone, like Iva, has their limits.

When we expect too much from others, it can lead to disappointment and frustration.

The Beauty of Love Without Strings

Life becomes more beautiful when we stop expecting so much from our relationships. Every connection becomes special when we love without expecting anything in return, even if we know there are limits to what people can do.

Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

A Lesson for Life

I must admit that I’m still learning how to implement this idea. I’m not perfect, and letting go of expectations is an ongoing journey.

But one thing is sure: my dear Iva has taught me a big lesson — loving without expecting anything in return is one of the most beautiful things we can do.

Her wagging tail and endless love Showed me something significant: love without expectations is the most beautiful kind of love.

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Tina Ashok Dhingra

Healer, Coach, and Author of 9 Healing Series Bestseller books, You can see - Magic of self-healing book series-https://relinks.me/TinaAshokDhingra