For the love of cats and dogs

Their time here on earth is short, about 1/5 of the time that we humans have. But what is time, anyway, when the only thing that matters is the moment you are in? You could live a million years or a minute, and nothing in the moment you exist in would be any different: it is there, and so are you, and in that moment in time everything is as it should be.

I like to sit with my dog and cats, more often my dog but that is only because he tends to like to be glued to my side whenever I’m around; the cats give me a little love and then off they go to wherever it is that cats go off to. Every minute that I spend with them is time well spent, and to think that for them, their time with me, comparatively speaking lasts five times as long, well, that is just awesome. They don’t wonder if there is somebody better to hang around with, or a better movie on TV, or something more fun to do, they are the epitome of devotion.

We can learn a lot from the creatures that we share our existence with. Why must we believe that our way is always the right way? By simply taking a piece of the dog and cat philosophy on living we can find just the amount of tranquility that we need that allows us to function in the chaotic world that we have created, and need to participate in lest we starve and end up homeless.

As cool as cats and dogs are, I’ve yet to see one of them take care of a human, for any length of time. But I have seen that the way they operate has value, and if we can emulate their modus operandi for, let’s say one fifth of our waking hours, perhaps our lives will be a little less chaotic, a little more peaceful and ultimately a lot more fulfilling.

Listening

"Dad, what's wrong?"
"Nothing to concern yourself with, Mr. Wilson."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really, but..."

I grabbed a cold drink and sat on my step near the back door. Mr. Wilson sat close, I patted his head and felt the silky texture of his ears, then rubbed his eyes for him, cleaning the encrustations that had formed and flicking them onto the ground. The course hair between his shoulders was perfect for getting the residue off on my fingertips, and he enjoyed the massage, so we both were winners.

My feet rested on the pavement, and my knees held the weight of my elbows as my body sagged, and the frustrations of the day came pouring out. Mr. Wilson listened, nodded at all the right times, licked my hand when I needed it and let me vent for as long as I needed to.

It didn't take nearly as long as I would have thought before the weight of the world began lifting from my shoulders, and as my spirit lightened, so did Mr. Wilson's mood, and before long the Frisbee was out and things had returned to normal.

"You're a good listener, Mr. Wilson," I said to my friend when the games were through.

He ran into the house, found his spot and settled in, his work done for the day.

Unconditional

Yeah they do goofy things now and then, dig holes, pee inside when you’re not looking, bark at nothing, eat birds and go suddenly deaf when you need them to listen, but when you look past their idiosyncrasies and look into the soul of the dog, a kinder, more compassionate being would be hard to find.

That they live their entire lives devoted to us-if we are kind in return is nothing short of amazing. Every dog has in the ability to love deeply, and without expectations other than the basics whomever it is that takes them in. Sure lots of them “love everybody,” but anybody who has chosen a dog as their companions will tell you that there is a bond like no other between dogs and people, especially the people that they choose to call their own.

When I look at Mr. Wilson living life on life’s terms I can’t help but slow things down, take in my surroundings, feel the sun shine on my shoulders and think how simple life truly is when you love unconditionally.

Buzzing

          My hummingbird at the feeder in my yard, 6-17-2014, 0700 hrs.


There was a path leading to the shore, and along the path were flowers of all different varieties, and I slung my towel over my shoulder and made my way toward the water. Once enveloped by the vegetation my mind slowed down, and the thoughts in my head stopped spinning, the buzz created by the incessant chatter replaced by quiet, and a peaceful moment was mine. I stopped for a moment, realizing that it was just me, the path and the sun's fading rays, and the rest of the world was outside, and I could take it or leave it, whichever I chose.  A smile came to me slowly, growing as each second passed, and from the bushes that lined the path came a delightful sound, much like the buzzing that had left my head a few moments before. I had never seen a hummingbird, but there, before my eyes were dozens of them, feeding, mating, flying in place and backwards, just doing what it took to be alive and well and busy with the task of living.

It was one of the most glorious moments I have ever experienced.

Now, some years later they come to visit me in my backyard. If somebody tells you that magic is a figment of your imagination, or if you believe such nonsense to be true, may I suggest opening your heart and mind to one of the little wonders of the world, and seek out the elusive hummingbird. My encounter with them was and is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me.

"Step" father"s Day

 from Mr. Wilson Makes it Home...
 http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Wilson-Makes-Home-Happiness/dp/1629145734

     “This is Wilson,” said Cheryl who had taken him back from her daughter. She looked at him, and instinctively added, “Mr. Wilson.”

     He opened his eyes, and the long Schnauzer eye brows crossed a little, and he tilted his head to the side, his furry face showing the prominent moustache indicative of the Schnauzer breed that made up half of his pedigree, then fell back asleep, wrapped in the red blanket and held by his new mother, whom he had already grown attached to. Mr. Wilson had arrived.

     We drove away, and I thought how fortunate I was to have a family to share everything with. Danielle and Brittany had moved on and out of our house, but no matter how far away their physical presence may be, they will always live under our roof. From the moment I entered their lives it could be no other way. I like to think that the three great loves of my life came all at once, and no matter what may come, we will always have a connection that I had never imagined possible.

     That they were five and seven when I became part of their lives is irrelevant to us. We share a love that is every bit as solid as one created by conception. Some poor fool once mentioned to Cheryl that I would never know the powerful love that comes from having a child of my own. But Cheryl knew, and the girls knew, and I knew just how wrong that person’s opinion was. Somebody who has never felt what we feel can never know, for we have the luxury of knowing through experience exactly how deeply a man’s love is capable of running, and that my love for my wife and the girls runs as deep as it gets.

     I do not know how it feels to hold my own newborn infant fresh from the womb, and to feel the connection between man and woman embodied in the life they created. I do know how it feels to be accepted by a five-year old child whose ‘real” father turned out to be not so great, and after a period of uncertainty and getting to know each other, to one day feel her arms wrapped around my neck as I picked her injured body off the grass after she fell from our tree house, and have her hold me close, and comfort her, and wait until her tears slowed, and stopped, and her smile returned, and know that she felt safe with me, and loved, and that through me, everything was going to be okay. Being accepted by choice rather than by right of birth is as good as it gets.

     I wouldn’t trade that feeling for a thousand newborns.

 http://homewithmrwilson.blogspot.com/2014/03/dad.html
 

"BARK BARK, Y'all!"

He seems to like Led Zeppelin, covers his ears when I play The Clash, goes a little nutty when I put in something from The Ramones and runs for cover when I break out the old school 90's rap.

But put on some Tim Mcgraw or Kenny Chesney and he's tappin' his paws and doing a two-step. You would think "good ole' boy" Mr. Wilson grew up in Arkansas!

But I do love that southern drawl every time I hear him bark.

Five thoughts for dogs

5. Feed them good food.

That doesn't mean table scraps, pepperoni or ice cream. It means something developed with your dog's nutritional needs in mind. Preferably without having "by-products" listed as the first ingredients. What is a "by-product"anyway? http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/

4. Let them chase things

But only in an enclosed area. Loose dogs equal injured dogs, or worse. A dog's view is narrow, they see the prey, not the cars that will cross the path between chaser and chasee. If you don't have a fenced yard a ball field and a Frisbee works wonders.

3. Love them when they ask

The last thing you need is a wet snout in your face. Or dirty paws on your new pants. Or  a fur ball lying on top of you when you need a nap. Or a little bundle of energy at your heels. On a soft caress of a tongue on your cheek when you're sad. Or the comfort of a warm body next to you when you would have been alone. Or an enthusiastic greeting after a long day. Or a friend to share your life with.

2. Correct them when they're wrong

A dog sees things different. He sees us two legged creatures as mysterious beings that could :

a. be a playmate

b. be an enemy or

c. be a leader. 

Let them play with the butterflies and other dogs, they don't need any enemies, but they crave leadership. The peace and comfort they thrive on begins with you. Taking the lead role in their lives takes the pressure of leadership away from them and they can then focus on what they do best.

1. Be kind. Always

There is nothing in our world more powerful that kindness. It transcends species, heals, soothes and comforts. Dogs are kindness personified. Given the proper example their entire lives can be spent in a state of conscious kindness that not only allows them to lead a life of peace and tranquility, but also lets their friends and masters get a taste of life in the moment, where nothing much matters except the pursuit of the next blissful moment.

That's about it. Enjoy your dog, because to him, you are everything.

Warden of the Yard

"Life without critters underfoot is no life for me." ~ Michael Morse, while laying on his couch.

Ha! I just made up a quote. Maybe some day I'll be immortalized with the rest of the dead old guys and ladies who said something clever and got their words pasted on a nice picture and seen by millions!

Probably not, but "a (sales)man's gotta dream, boy, it comes with the territory." ~ Charley,  from Death of a Salesman.

I do love a good quote, almost as much as I love having those critters underfoot. There is something comforting in their presence, and their willingness to devote their lives to us, and be our friends for the duration of their time on earth.

Every now and then we let our indoor cats out of the house so they can get a taste of the wild. They never venture far, and now that Mr. Wilson has appointed himself "Warden of the Yard," we can relax and let them wander without worrying that they might be overtaken with wanderlust and disappear.

This is "The Warden" keeping an eye on Victoria. Lunabelle is just out of our sight, but not his!