"Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things - a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty."
"Was it possible for a dog - any dog, but especially a nutty, wildly uncontrollable one like ours - to point humans to the things that really mattered in life? I believed it was. Loyalty. Courage. Devotion. Simplicity. Joy. And the things that did not matter, too. A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbols mean nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not. As I wrote that farewell column to Marley, I realized it was all right there in front of us, if only we opened our eyes. Sometimes it took a dog with bad breath, worse manners, and pure intentions to help us see."
Wow! That's good! In my life, I have never seen a more loyal love than that of my ever present shadow, companion, lap heater, tear licker, running partner, gaurd, my Harley.
He pines and mopes when I am gone. He only eats when I am home. When I drive up to my house and see him looking out the window, I know that he hasn't moved from that spot for quite literally hours. He is standing watch. Waiting for Mom to return. Watching every passing car, hoping it is me. And boy howdy WHAT a welcome!! He can hardly contain his excitement! He never fails to meet me with great enthusiasm. He is never too tired, too busy, too moody, too preoccupied or too lazy to give me the most gracious homecoming! We could all learn from my Harley. What about you, when your family comes home, do they feel you are excited for their return? Do you meet your hubs at the door with a big smooch? Do your children know that you have thought about them all day? I know, I'm preachin' to the choir, right?? Maybe this is just for me?? I want all of my families homecomings (rather they have been gone for hours or days) to feel as exuberant and the ones I receive from my Harley. Well....minus the licking of course! That might be a bit awkward!
Is it possible for a dog to point humans to the things that really matter in life? I look at my Harley and agree with John Grogan, he is the clearest, most vivid picture of exactly what loyalty, courage, devotion, simplicity, and joy look like. "Sometimes it took a dog....to help us see"
