Puppy

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace.

Milton Kundera

When I was growing up, like most boys, I had a dog.  She was a great dog for a little boy.  She was playful and always ready to run.  She was loyal and always came when she was called.  She was obedient and loved being petted.  I envied her sometimes.  All she had to do was eat and sleep.  She had no true responsibilities.  She didn’t have chores or have to go to school.  She didn’t have homework or bedtime.  She was always happy, greeting me with her tail wagging and always itching to be petted.  Oh, how I envied her.

Other than just the simplicity of a dog’s life, I also envied the pack.  I envied knowing that there was one person in charge, and that was all that mattered.  Growing up, there were many people in charge.  I had two parents.  I had four grandparents.  I had teachers and other adults and ministers.  Anyone who was older than me was someone I had to listen to.  The hardest part?  None of these older people agreed on anything!  I was constantly, and still am, altering my behavior based on who is around and who is watching me.  I wanted an alpha.  I wanted a single solitary person who I could defer to.

I enjoy being a puppy.  I enjoy hearing the simple commands, “sit”, “down”, or “bark”.  I really like hearing “good boy”.  I feel really happy when I’m a puppy.  I can shed off the worries or stresses of the day along with my human skin.  I can run around in circles and chase a ball or beg for pieces of a cookie or silly things like that.  I’m not worried about looking silly.  I don’t feel foolish.  I’m grinning ear to ear wanting to be petted or have my ears scratched.

There are still days I want to be a puppy.  To give up what it means to be human and settle into four paws and fur.  I’d like for my only concerns to be pleasing my owner, knowing that everything else would be taken care of.  It’s not realistic though.  I still need a job.  I still need to pay my bills.  I still need to stand on two feet and wear clothes.  I still need to be human.