It may sound funny, but when people ask me, “who inspires you?” I tell them I draw it from my dog Mr Boo, the most lovable creature ever. I strive to be a better human through its existence day after day.
When I began scribbling notes about him, I didn’t even know that that’s how I would develop my writing skills.
After going through all those notes where I documented my dog and its activities, I found that these are, in fact, lessons for life. So below are the unconventional lessons I’ve learned from my dog:
1) Acceptance
Be it my Naga buddy, DJ Sapong, who has a boundless passion for music or my Garo friend, Teseng Chambugong, whose presence packs a punch, dogs just want to have fun. They have an amazing charm of accepting their humans, whether they are enigmas or erudite beings for who they are. They don’t pass judgments too quickly, like humans do. Boo’s presence around me creates a jovial aura because he accepts me for who I am with my imperfections.
When I sit back and analyse, I’ve learned a compelling lesson in seeing the uniqueness of different characters of people surrounding me. We usually enjoy the company of people who accept us and with whom we can express ourselves fully. The joy of being accepted is one of the crucial factors of having a powerful bond or connection. I learned this from my dog, Boo. Yes, that’s right!
2) Celebrate Your Own Existence
Dogs have an extraordinary way of celebrating their own existence by being themselves. If a dog sees its owner(s) coming home, they bark at the loudest pitch and pounces. It signifies a golden moment of appreciation and if you have experienced such an ecstatic moment, you’re a damn lucky person! It indicates that you are important; you are longed for, waited upon and cherished.
Sometimes we feel like turning into ashes and vanishing into thin air when we hit rock bottom. That’s the time when we should learn to focus on the positive side, think about our existence, our presence in the larger scheme of things in life. Celebrating life: that’s the greatest gift in the simplest way and rediscovering our purpose is a breath of fresh air. Sometimes it takes time to heal and purify ourselves but it is worth to think and practice this way.
3) Forgiveness
If a dog gets beaten up or punished for misbehaving or biting, they credulously forgive by licking or wagging a tail; exhibiting no sign of abhorrence. They always have that will to carry on. In this way, they are better than humans. Considering the present atrocities, we can clearly say we do not have forgiving hearts, we are being so inhuman.
There are times when people hurt us with words or incidents, which become a permanent scar that makes forgiveness difficult, forgetting even harder. We should learn to take it easy and forgive everyone. Time heals every wound and pain.
4) Love Unconditionally
Love unconditionally and love in abundance. When a dog spreads love, they don’t submit half of their heart, but love wholeheartedly. They love without expecting it back. They are the perfect epitome of love.
It is always a joyous feeling to be loved and feel loved. The love that we show for those close to our hearts should always be unconditional. Love is the perfect obligation to being alive. Giving love and receiving love is a warmer way to cool any sting. Love matters, after all.
5) Empathy
I remember the countless times when my dog had been there for me. Its presence provides me elated contentment; its innocent stare melts my heart.
Sometimes we all face bad days. We don’t say that we need someone to tell us how much the situation really sucks or things will get better. We just shut the world out when all we need is a friend and a listener. Some people shut themselves up instead of listening and cross the borderline. We should learn to listen and understand the feelings of others. This is how we will live in peace.
6) Do It Or Don’t
Every moment I come home from work, my dog always gives me a warm welcome. Jumping around me, frisking and pounding with all of its excitement. I have always cherished such moments. It puts its whole being, energy and muscles. Have you seen any dog jumping around half-heartedly? The answer is no. They submit their whole effort in seeing the beauty of the world by doing anything wholeheartedly. For them, it’s doing it or not.
In the same way, if we have to do something, let’s try our level best. It is better than doing nothing at all. In fact, we should always try our best to reach our aspirations and goals. Let’s give our all to anything that we do!
These valuable lessons are the things that impact greatly.
We are so busy with our lives where we are ruled by the development and advancement in technology. No time or attention is available for anyone to listen to each other. We are just lost in our own gadgets. This is how we miss the best parts of our lives.
Judgment is passed quickly without any observation. We fall in love with materials rather than souls. We want to be trend setters everywhere, which is somehow meaningless when the values and morals are forgotten. We’ve become so fake that we are afraid to outshine our own originality.
I have had my share of life filled with highs and lows, bumps and bruises. I have faced my demons in confronting obstacles and imposed opinions. But to my dog, I am always accepted and loved. In this chaotic world full of distress and agony, my dog keeps me calm.
About the author: C. Lalrinfela is a passionate freelance writer from Aizawl, Mizoram. He is a tourism student of Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU), Shillong, Meghalaya, an intern at TNT-The Northeast Today, Shillong. He has an ardent love for animals, especially dogs. Pet care, travelling, storytelling, feature writing, folklore studies and tour guiding are his passion.