Tag: #backgrounds

I love dogs. I actually love animals, but I am partial to dogs (and cats). My blog title probably should have included dogs and food.

I spend most of my free time with my dogs and all of my time with them when I work from home. There is even a dog bed in my home office so they can stay close to me. I love my dogs, all four of them. Cats are great, but they can be fickle and aloof and independent. And they are not always happy to see me. Dogs, on the other hand, are loyal, loving, and always happy. Wiggle butts are a real sign of happiness.

I identify people by their dogs and I know the dog before I know the human. I remember a dog’s name better that I remember a person’s name. I am sure there are a number of people in my neighborhood who know me because of dogs. I walk them every day. Sometimes one at a time (that’s a lot of walking with four dogs) but most days I walk them in twos – the littles and the bigs, as I affectionately call them. The littles are Bailey and Charlie; they are also the two youngest each weighing under 50lbs. The bigs are Ruby and Eve, the two older dogs who both weigh in at over 50lbs. I know that people identify me because of my dogs since I have been stopped in the grocery store or at a local festival and asked, “Aren’t you that lady from Crestview that has all the dogs?” Yes, that’s me.

We walk everyday (weather permitting). I alternate who will get the first walk. Upon departing the house, with all doors closed behind me, I can hear the mournful howling or anxious barking of whichever two were left behind. Everybody wants to be first. The littles get the longer walk, usually 2-3.5 miles and the bigs a shorter walk that rarely breaks 2 miles. I know the names of most of the dogs in our neighborhood, but like I said earlier, I don’t necessarily know all of the names of their owners. And that’s ok. Dog people are okay with that, being identified by their furry companion, or companions in my case.

We have a very dog-friendly neighborhood filled with all types of dogs, big dogs and little dogs, senior dogs and puppies, furry dogs and short haired dogs, fat dogs and thin dogs, pure-breds and mutts. And their owners, my neighbors, also come from every spectrum imaginable, men and women, young people and retirees, liberal and conservative, natives and transplants, white collar workers and blue collar workers, and a multitude of nationalities and races. But the dogs don’t view each other by their different backgrounds or by the categories of gender, age, race, religion or political persuasion. They view each other as coming from the same family – canis lupus familiaris.

They are all dogs. It doesn’t matter if they are registered with the American Kennel Club or adopted from a shelter, if they are male or female, neutered or spayed, young or old, shaggy or short haired. They are happy to have the opportunity to walk through the neighborhood with their owners, run in their fenced in yards, chase a ball, play frisbee, roll in the grass, dig in the yard, lie in the sun, bark at passersby, or just sleep on the porch. You see, dogs don’t have an agenda or expectations. They are not worried about impressing each other or out to serve some self-interest. If you take some time and watch a dog, you can see clearly see what gratitude and happiness looks like. They are an example of pure, unadulterated joy. Dogs take nothing for granted. They have low expectations, they are accepting, and the love unconditionally. They delight in the simple things in life; a run/walk with their owners, the company of friends, the opportunity to play, and moments to sit, rest and just be.

You see, we can learn a lot from dogs. It doesn’t matter where they came from, what their current situation is, who their owners are, or how they came to be where they are. They are all part of the same family – canis lupus familiaris. They are dogs. And they know gratitude. Gratitude leads to joy.

Maybe if we started to treat each other as part of the same family – humankind, and less like all of the labels that we attach to ourselves and to one another, we would be better able to operate from a place of gratitude and travel that path that leads to joy. Today, look beyond someone who is not like you and see and appreciate the human being who they are. Be thankful for the simple things in your life. And take that first step on the path to joy. And today, please pray for me and I will continue to pray for you.