Barbara Burgess / Times Columnist | Posted: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 12:00 am
Merry Christmas and happy tails to you! I hope your day is filled with love, laughter and wet sloppy kisses from your dog.
Whether you/re spending time with friends and family or appreciating the quiet company of your dog, you have much to celebrate.
Dogs are great teachers, and this is a wonderful time of year to appreciate their life lessons.
What follows is a story that demonstrates one of their greatest lessons, the true meaning of friendship.
I have a new friend, Cookie, who walks daily. Sometimes we walk together and I always take a dog or two.
Cookie has had dogs and says she likes them, but I could tell she didn/t appreciate their companionship. To her a dog was an animal, not a friend or companion.
Many people feel the same way.
Three weeks ago, she called about going for a walk and I was too busy. To my surprise, she asked if my old dog would like to go.
My dog loves walks, but she is not known for her outpouring of affection for people. She/s a little like my friend, slightly crotchety but a sweet and sensitive soul.
Cookie jokes that they are two old broads going for a walk, but I see something else. The two of them share something special together. It/s unspoken, but palpable. It is a special bond.
When they walk, my friend doesn/t have to worry about how much she sweats, how out of shape she might be, or how slowly she walks. She doesn/t have to hold conversation or even be interesting.
My dog looks forward to their walks, not because my friend feeds her or scratches her in just the right spot, but because they share a deep friendship and a love for the outdoors.
Friendship doesn/t necessarily require saying the right thing, giving the right gift, or even holding conversation. Sometimes just being together is all you need.
Dogs don/t hold grudges and their feelings are genuine. They don/t care how much money you make, who your friends are, or if your breath is minty fresh.
They keep your feet warm at night, they clean up the floor when you make a mess, and they will rinse your dishes if you let them.
Dogs can cheer the sick in the hospital and brighten an elderly person/s day just by sitting with him or her.
Librarians recently discovered the value of dogs in helping children improve their reading skills. Children who read to dogs gained more confidence and their reading improved. Dogs are now used as aides in some libraries.
The real value of a dog cannot be measured by words or money.
A couple of fellow dogs lovers expressed it best in their recent e-mails:
"Now that our kids are grown, we wrap presents for our dog and let him open them. He gets as excited over his presents as our kids did when they were little. He prances and parades around the house with his new things."
And: "Like many other single people, I love not waking up alone on Christmas morning. Kids and grandkids will come pouring in later, but for those first few hours, my three dogs make my house merry. They have no idea that they, by their presence, are my best present."
I couldn/t agree more.
Dec. 25, 2004