“I am your dog”

Every now and then I come across a comment,  a short story, a poem, or some other expression of life … that makes an emotional impact. I tend to save such writings because, who knows, there may come an opportunity to share such writings in the hope that a reader/listener may also experience an emotional impact.  What follows is such a piece, and it is attributed to a J. D. Ellis.

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I am your dog, and I have a little something I’d like to whisper in your ear.

I know that you humans lead busy lives. Some have to work, some have children to raise. It always seems like you are running here and there, often much too fast, often never noticing the truly grand things in life.

Look down at me now, while you sit there at your computer. See the way my dark brown eyes look at yours? They are slightly cloudy now. That comes with age. The gray hairs are beginning to ring my soft muzzle.

You smile at me; I see love in your eyes. What do you see in mine? Do you see a spirit? A soul inside, who loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit that would forgive all trespasses of prior wrong-doing for just a simple moment of your time? That is all I ask… to slow down, if even for a few minutes to be with me.

So many times you have been saddened by the words you read on that screen, of other of my kind, passing. Sometimes we die young and oh so quickly, sometimes so suddenly it wrenches your heart out of your throat.

Sometimes, we age so slowly before your eyes that you may not even seem to know until the very end, when we look at you with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes. Still the love is always there, even when we must take that long sleep, to run free in a distant land.

I may not be here tomorrow; I may not be here next week. Someday you will shed the water from your eyes  that humans have when deep grief fills their souls, and you will be angry at yourself that you did not have just “One more day” with me. Because I love you so, your sorrow touches my spirit and grieves me. We have NOW, together. So come, sit down here next to me on the floor, and look deep into my eyes. What do you see?

If you look hard and deep enough we will talk, you and I, heart to heart. Come to me not as “alpha” or as “trainer” or even “Mom or Dad,” come to me as a living soul and stroke my fur and let us look deep into one another’s eyes, and talk.

I may tell you something about the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or I may tell you something profound about myself, or even life in general. You decided to have me in your life because you wanted a soul to share such things with. Someone very different from you, and here I am. I am a dog, but I am alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I can revel in the differences of our spirits and souls. I do not think of you as a “Dog on two feet” – I know what you are. You are human, in all your quirkiness, and I love you still.

Now, come and sit with me on the floor. Enter my world, and let time slow down if only for 15 minutes. Look deep into my eyes, and whisper to my ears. Speak with your heart, with your joy and I will know your true self. We may not have tomorrow, and life is oh so very short.

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23 thoughts on ““I am your dog””

  1. Oh my. Very touching. I feel guilty all of the time for not spending more time with Cino. I hate how life does that…just takes over. She sits and meows at me non-stop when I am on the computer, but I don’t think it’s for attention as much as that my desk is right by her food dish. When I move, I will not be having that anymore. The desk and food dish will be far apart. 🙂 But I still need to make more time to “just be” with her. Great post. Thank you!

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    • I can well imagine that everybody with a pet of some sort would react the same. It is just so easy to get caught up in “life” … when “life” is probably staring at us at this very moment! 🙂

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  2. My eldest daughter showed this to me, perhaps a year ago, on a website that she follows. I think it was DoggyMom or something like that. It brought me to tears then and again now…and I don’t even have a dog! Thank-you!

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  5. This brought tears to my eyes Colin. More so as we learned yesterday that a friend has just lost her dog and it was a very painful last few days for them both.
    I’ve reblogged it because sometimes it is so easy to get engrossed in something we’re doing and to forget our faithful friend at our feet looking up at us. We may attach our thoughts and sentiments to their actions, but all they ask of us is time, love and affection. The latter two are a matter of course, but time? Sometimes we deny them that unintentionally.
    Hugs by proxy to Ray. ❤

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  8. Thanks for sharing Colin. I think I’ve seen this or another piece like it. It’s a great reminder to slow down and just “be” with our pups each day as often as possible. They are great listeners and as the author implies great communicators who open their very souls to us through their eyes. This read was a very nice way to begin my week. Thank you.

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  9. Wow! Oh gosh, that has to be one of the most touching dog poems I have ever read. My eyes are watering , due to eye drops and tears, .yeah. I missed the “Tissues needed” warning. 🙂
    Glad you saved this poem, thanks for sharing!

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