WHEN THE SAINTS GO BARKING IN….
I am forty- eight years old. And I am not ashamed to say that I still believe in magic. And miracles. I believe that angels walk among us. They don’t wear halos and wings, not anymore. They do however wear tails. And whiskers, that tickle. No, I didn’t pass out in the punch bowl on New Years Eve. I’d just like to kick off the year with a soul-felt thanks to all the canine angels who touch our lives with grace. And slip away quietly, without as much as an epitaph. Walt Disney was bang on, all dogs go to heaven. They belong there. They just come down to give us a little taste of unconditional love. And fill our lives with hope and cheer.
If you could see the shiny pools of devotion staring up at me right now, framed by that plastic Elizabethan collar, you’d agree in a jiffy. This plastic halo-ed creature is brushing aside all his post-surgical pain to greet me with an affectionate lick. Name a single human, in real life or even reel life, who has emerged from anesthesia with a kiss for the world.
Countless times has this furry angel nursed me back from all kinds of traumas- physical, emotional, marital, parental, et all. And the loving doesn’t stop at me, it envelopes my near and dear– in other words, the credit line is open to anyone I chose to care about, no questions asked. All I have to do is plonk down one kiss a day. And that’s all it takes to unleash pure and heady devotion, 24/7, in it’s most selfless and loyal form. Devotion that magically morphs into exactly what I’m craving moment-to-moment.
When I’m blue, he won’t give up till he cajoles a giggle out of me. When I’m anxious, he offers me an embrace that literally draws away all the negative energy. If I feel alone, he snuggles up tight and reminds me that I have an attentive and loving companion by my side. He turns every little fear I have into a ball and playfully chases it away into the distance. He shares my joys, my triumphs, my failures and heartbreaks. He intuitively knows when I crave solitude and when I want to frolic with foolish abandon. He offers me a patient and non judgmental ear when I need to rant, and a consoling paw when I feel overwhelmed with tears. He doesn’t care what color my skin is, how many excess kilos I carry, when I last brushed my teeth or whether I have one rupee in my wallet or ten thousand. And regardless of whether I feed him once a day or three times, he loves me just the same.
No matter what. Don’t know about you, but to me this is nothing short of a miracle. We have nothing to mirror this relationship, in the human fraternity. Even the one who professes to love us the most in the world, be it child or spouse, are unable to suspend all expectations. It just isn’t human. For our canine friend though, it’s no biggie. He could do all the above in one day, without a whimper of protest, and repeat it again before the sun sets.
I have been blessed with angels like this one, throughout my forty-eight years on this earth. I imagine a large part of who I am, mostly all the good bits, are a direct result of the time I’ve been lucky enough to have spent around selfless canines. Think about it, could there be a better role model for the self-serving and intolerant world we live in? A mortal human definitely doesn’t make the cut, as he’s hardwired to look for return on investment, even emotional investments. And no other species offers the kind of devotion, protection and loyalty to man, asking veritable nothing in return. Is it just me, or do you also get the feeling that we lucked out big time?
Do you see that glimmer of divinity in what the canine offers us, something we as a race are incapable of?
Canine angels aren’t just infiltrating human families with bushels of love, they are working in hospitals with the sick and dying. They are doubling up as therapists, helping emotionally troubled humans deal with their mental scars. They’re rescuing those whose lives are in mortal danger, beyond the reach of us humans. And helping humans who have visual and other impairments live normal lives. Canine squads are fighting wars and tracking down terrorists around the world, making the world a safer place for you and me. All this, quietly, without any fuss, compensation or demand for glory.
This pawsitively amazing species has changed the very quality of human existence, and given the human race so much to be grateful for. If I were the Holy See, with the power bestowed on me by the Church, I would seriously consider declaring the humble dog, the patron Saint of Selfless Love. I would set aside a date, much like All Saints day, where the world could pay to pay homage to this wonderful creature. The world would celebrate All Dogs Day, a day dedicated just to one act of selfless love to anyone, as a mark of respect to the angel that watches over us, and asks for nothing in return.
I would add the word ‘woof’ to the thesaurus as a synonym for love. And every time I am overcome with wonder and awe, I would substitute ‘OMG’ with “OMD”. Because it isn’t man who is a reflection of God. He still has a pretty long way to go still. It is dog, the gentle and patient dog, who comes the closest.
In memory of Dude McRude, the gentlest sweetest soul to grace my life.
About the Author
“Mirchi” to her friends, Priya is part worrier, part warrior and a hundred percent kookie. Her inner coterie includes a motley collection of shaggy tails, pokey whiskers and slobber mouths.
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Life is not always about online shopping. These are blog posts containing random thoughts of us humans as we walk down the cobbled pavement of life. Posts about life, its struggles and the lessons we learn.
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