I Think, Therefore I Am!
Jake, the consummate hunter, sat at the back of the yard by the English garden staring straight ahead. Occasionally he would ever-so-slowly turn his head in one direction, then the other. His eyes were wide with anticipation. A long glob of drool hung from his mouth almost touching the ground.
He was scanning his domain, patiently waiting for a squirrel, a rabbit, or a bird to trespass. And if they did, they would be severely punished for the infraction. He would sit like this for hours on end. To passersby he probably appeared to be a statue, but Jake was totally alert and ready to pounce. He was there in his own little world.
As I worked at the desk in my home office, I would occasionally glance out the window to see if he was alright. He had not moved one inch since I checked on him thirty minutes ago. I couldn’t help but wonder, what in world is going through his mind. Was he contemplating the possibility of a parallel universe, or perhaps how many angels can exist on the head of a pin, or maybe just his attack sequence on the next hapless critter to wander by?
When I have to sit in one place for hours at a time, I’m usually deep in thought or I’m sound asleep. Since I’ve found that deep thought makes me sleepy, I try to avoid it whenever possible. Over the years, I’ve cultivated the ability to sleep in meetings with my eyes open. This has proven to be especially helpful in church. I can sit upright during the most boring of sermons and have a wonderful nap. Even my wife isn’t always sure.
I finally decided that there was absolutely nothing going on in his head. His mind was completely blank. Because of our ability to think and create, we humanoids tend to think of ourselves as the dominant species on this planet. But I have come to believe the dog is.
Jake, the consummate hunter, sat at the back of the yard by the English garden staring straight ahead. Occasionally he would ever-so-slowly turn his head in one direction, then the other. His eyes were wide with anticipation. A long glob of drool hung from his mouth almost touching the ground.
He was scanning his domain, patiently waiting for a squirrel, a rabbit, or a bird to trespass. And if they did, they would be severely punished for the infraction. He would sit like this for hours on end. To passersby he probably appeared to be a statue, but Jake was totally alert and ready to pounce. He was there in his own little world.
As I worked at the desk in my home office, I would occasionally glance out the window to see if he was alright. He had not moved one inch since I checked on him thirty minutes ago. I couldn’t help but wonder, what in world is going through his mind. Was he contemplating the possibility of a parallel universe, or perhaps how many angels can exist on the head of a pin, or maybe just his attack sequence on the next hapless critter to wander by?
When I have to sit in one place for hours at a time, I’m usually deep in thought or I’m sound asleep. Since I’ve found that deep thought makes me sleepy, I try to avoid it whenever possible. Over the years, I’ve cultivated the ability to sleep in meetings with my eyes open. This has proven to be especially helpful in church. I can sit upright during the most boring of sermons and have a wonderful nap. Even my wife isn’t always sure.
I finally decided that there was absolutely nothing going on in his head. His mind was completely blank. Because of our ability to think and create, we humanoids tend to think of ourselves as the dominant species on this planet. But I have come to believe the dog is.
Consider these facts. Jake does not worry about where his next meal comes from. He doesn’t worry about trivial matters like wealth, poverty, mortgages, car payments, utility bills, insurance, civil rights, weather, property taxes, time, credit rating, politics, spiritually, war, peace, crime, 401K, speed limits, personal appearance, public image, hygiene, family relations, career, or even the draconian Internal Revenue Service.
To some degree, I find myself envying him. He lives “in the moment”. He doesn’t care what happened yesterday and he’s not worried about tomorrow. Food and water are regularly supplied to him. He lives in the house where it is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. He can sleep in his doggy bed, his kennel, or on the rug. He has a companion (me) to play with and a mother (Christine) to love him. He doesn’t have a single concern in life.
But, the “fait accompli” occurs each evening when Jake takes us for a walkabout in the neighborhood. Rather than do his business somewhere in our yard, he saves it up for the journey. After he’s found a spot down the street that meets his specific criteria, he drops the goods.
At this point I don the latex gloves, go down on one knee, and proceed to place his donation in the plastic bag. He’s happy to watch me do this and wags his tail with approval. However, I suspect he’s not the least bit grateful of my involuntary servitude. I am further obligated to carry this prize for the rest of the trip. What was that I said about the dominant species?
I’m not a believer in reincarnation, but if I were I’d be pleased to return as dog.
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
B, I, N, G, O!
B, I, N, G, O!
B, I, N, G, O!
And Bingo was his name-o!
To some degree, I find myself envying him. He lives “in the moment”. He doesn’t care what happened yesterday and he’s not worried about tomorrow. Food and water are regularly supplied to him. He lives in the house where it is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. He can sleep in his doggy bed, his kennel, or on the rug. He has a companion (me) to play with and a mother (Christine) to love him. He doesn’t have a single concern in life.
But, the “fait accompli” occurs each evening when Jake takes us for a walkabout in the neighborhood. Rather than do his business somewhere in our yard, he saves it up for the journey. After he’s found a spot down the street that meets his specific criteria, he drops the goods.
At this point I don the latex gloves, go down on one knee, and proceed to place his donation in the plastic bag. He’s happy to watch me do this and wags his tail with approval. However, I suspect he’s not the least bit grateful of my involuntary servitude. I am further obligated to carry this prize for the rest of the trip. What was that I said about the dominant species?
I’m not a believer in reincarnation, but if I were I’d be pleased to return as dog.
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
B, I, N, G, O!
B, I, N, G, O!
B, I, N, G, O!
And Bingo was his name-o!
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