Live Like a Dog

Dogs are some of the most cheerful creatures that live among us.

Every time I return home, no matter if I’ve been gone for fifteen minutes or five hours, my dogs greet me with uncontainable excitement, as if my arrival were the best thing that could possibly happen. Anyone with a dog knows this: their greatest desire is simply to be with us sharing pure, uncomplicated love.

They jump into the car without knowing where we’re headed, thrilled just to be included. A walk around the block is a celebration. Every meal, though identical to yesterday’s, is met with gratitude and delight.

Dogs live without the weight of yesterday or the worry of tomorrow. Rain, snow, or cold doesn’t matter, what matters is today, the present moment, the simple joy of being alive.

Their time with us is short, each of their days is like a week of ours. And maybe because of this, they make every moment count. It’s as if they understand the urgency of joy, making every ordinary experience extraordinary.

My dogs remind me how I want to live: fully present, grateful, and alive to every moment life offers.