I Am Your Dog
I don't know what brought
back the memory but during a talk last week I recalled
attending a philosophy class my freshman year in
college, a class taught by a beautiful, bright, young,
articulate professor who I believed was the perfect
woman. She was in her early 30's. I remember lamenting
my fate that I was just 18. But for our slight
difference in age, I thought, she would like me and I
would like her and we'd live happily ever
after.
As I was telling the story I performed
some simple math in my head and was suddenly struck
silent, stunned that my young philosophy professor is
now in her 70's. I don't remember now the point I was
trying to make but the point I should have made is that
there is no time to wish or hope or fear or even to do
too much planning for tomorrow. There is just Now and
our challenge in modernity is living in the present
instead of rendering it a mere preface to some future
moment when a larger McMansion, a new BMW, or some other
toy will cause more to become enough.
One need
only look around to know that this fantasy turns
nightmarish for those who cling to it too long.Which is
why I leave the following with you, a story by
"Anonymous," who titled the work, "I Am Your Dog," but
which could have been named "I Am Your Spouse," "I Am
Your Child", or "I Am Your Friend." Regardless who you
put into the supporting role, it reminds us of the
importance of Now and that we use it together,
wisely.
I am your dog, and I have a little
something I'd like to whisper in your ear. I know that
you humans lead busy lives. Some have to work, some have
children to raise. It always seems like you are running
here and there, often much too fast, often never
noticing the truly grand things in life. Look down at me
now, while you sit there at your computer. See the way
my dark brown eyes look at yours? They are slightly
cloudy now. That comes with age. The gray hairs are
beginning to ring my soft muzzle.You smile at me; I see
love in your eyes.
What do you
see in mine? Do you see a spirit? A soul inside, who
loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit that
would forgive all trespasses of prior wrong doing for
just a simple moment of your time? That is all I ask. To
slow down, if even for a few minutes to be with me. So
many times you have been saddened by the words you read
on that screen, of others of my kind, passing. Sometimes
we die young and oh so quickly, sometimes so suddenly it
wrenches your heart out of your throat. Sometimes, we
age so slowly before your eyes that you may not even
seem to know until the very end, when we look at you
with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes. Still
the love is always there, even when we must take that
long sleep, to run free in a distant land.I may not be
here tomorrow; I may not be here next week. Someday you
will shed the water from your eyes, that humans have
when deep grief fills their souls, and you will be angry
at yourself that you did not have just "One more day"
with me.
Because I love you
so, your sorrow touches my spirit and grieves me. We
have NOW, together. So come, sit down here next to me on
the floor, and look deep into my eyes. What do you see?
If you look hard and deep enough we will talk, you and
I, heart to heart. Come to me not as "alpha" or as
"trainer" or even "Mom or Dad," come to me as a living
soul and stroke my fur and let us look deep into one
another's eyes, and talk.I may tell you something about
the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or I may tell you
something profound about myself, or even life in
general. You decided to have me in your life because you
wanted a soul to share such things with. Someone very
different from you, and here I am. I am a dog, but I am
alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I can
revel in the differences of our spirits and souls. I do
not think of you as a "Dog on two feet" -- I know what
you are. You are human, in all your quirkiness, and I
love you still.Now, come sit with me, on the floor.
Enter my world, and let time slow down if only for 15
minutes. Look deep into my eyes, and whisper to my ears.
Speak with your heart, with your joy and I will know
your true self. We may not have tomorrow, and life is oh
so very short.
--Love, (on
behalf of canines everywhere)
back the memory but during a talk last week I recalled
attending a philosophy class my freshman year in
college, a class taught by a beautiful, bright, young,
articulate professor who I believed was the perfect
woman. She was in her early 30's. I remember lamenting
my fate that I was just 18. But for our slight
difference in age, I thought, she would like me and I
would like her and we'd live happily ever
after.
As I was telling the story I performed
some simple math in my head and was suddenly struck
silent, stunned that my young philosophy professor is
now in her 70's. I don't remember now the point I was
trying to make but the point I should have made is that
there is no time to wish or hope or fear or even to do
too much planning for tomorrow. There is just Now and
our challenge in modernity is living in the present
instead of rendering it a mere preface to some future
moment when a larger McMansion, a new BMW, or some other
toy will cause more to become enough.
One need
only look around to know that this fantasy turns
nightmarish for those who cling to it too long.Which is
why I leave the following with you, a story by
"Anonymous," who titled the work, "I Am Your Dog," but
which could have been named "I Am Your Spouse," "I Am
Your Child", or "I Am Your Friend." Regardless who you
put into the supporting role, it reminds us of the
importance of Now and that we use it together,
wisely.
I am your dog, and I have a little
something I'd like to whisper in your ear. I know that
you humans lead busy lives. Some have to work, some have
children to raise. It always seems like you are running
here and there, often much too fast, often never
noticing the truly grand things in life. Look down at me
now, while you sit there at your computer. See the way
my dark brown eyes look at yours? They are slightly
cloudy now. That comes with age. The gray hairs are
beginning to ring my soft muzzle.You smile at me; I see
love in your eyes.
What do you
see in mine? Do you see a spirit? A soul inside, who
loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit that
would forgive all trespasses of prior wrong doing for
just a simple moment of your time? That is all I ask. To
slow down, if even for a few minutes to be with me. So
many times you have been saddened by the words you read
on that screen, of others of my kind, passing. Sometimes
we die young and oh so quickly, sometimes so suddenly it
wrenches your heart out of your throat. Sometimes, we
age so slowly before your eyes that you may not even
seem to know until the very end, when we look at you
with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes. Still
the love is always there, even when we must take that
long sleep, to run free in a distant land.I may not be
here tomorrow; I may not be here next week. Someday you
will shed the water from your eyes, that humans have
when deep grief fills their souls, and you will be angry
at yourself that you did not have just "One more day"
with me.
Because I love you
so, your sorrow touches my spirit and grieves me. We
have NOW, together. So come, sit down here next to me on
the floor, and look deep into my eyes. What do you see?
If you look hard and deep enough we will talk, you and
I, heart to heart. Come to me not as "alpha" or as
"trainer" or even "Mom or Dad," come to me as a living
soul and stroke my fur and let us look deep into one
another's eyes, and talk.I may tell you something about
the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or I may tell you
something profound about myself, or even life in
general. You decided to have me in your life because you
wanted a soul to share such things with. Someone very
different from you, and here I am. I am a dog, but I am
alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I can
revel in the differences of our spirits and souls. I do
not think of you as a "Dog on two feet" -- I know what
you are. You are human, in all your quirkiness, and I
love you still.Now, come sit with me, on the floor.
Enter my world, and let time slow down if only for 15
minutes. Look deep into my eyes, and whisper to my ears.
Speak with your heart, with your joy and I will know
your true self. We may not have tomorrow, and life is oh
so very short.
--Love, (on
behalf of canines everywhere)
posted by Jim Karger at 9:13 AM
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