In Indian religions, dharma is commonly understood as referring to behaviors that sustain life.
Like?
Like how a dog behaves. Like we humans would do well to behave.
Here are the opening lines of Billy Collins’ poem “Dharma.”
“The way the dog trots out the front door
every morning
without a hat or an umbrella,
without any money
or the keys to her dog house
never fails to fill the saucer of my heart
with milky admiration.”
Isn’t that refreshing?
Do not dogs everywhere, if somehow escaping their leash, rejoice at their freedom and give endless sun-kissed chase to a wind-tossed and teasing blue balloon, or splash happily about in the shallows of beaches with their fellow canine comrades?
If heaven were a reward for sheer, unadulterated and boundless-and-free joy, would it not be bestowed upon dogs?
Isn’t it true that with dogs there is no pretense, no posturing, and only one life to dedicate all their devotion to you?
Yes, true, all of the above.
Oh, then to live a dog’s life, drama-free and, like Dharma the dog, experience the behaviors that sustain life: reveling in love and laughter, and escaping our leash so as to behold the beauty of creation.
Post-script: Having lost my wife of 50 years to cancer just over a year ago; the destruction by fire of both our home and our business during those years together; and the tragic death of our granddaughter, I long for love and laughter again, and often anymore escape to the mountains to experience awe and wonder.
“never fails to fill the saucer of my heart with milky admiration,” by far my favorite article yet.
Dogs bring so much joy to life. 💞
Thank you Annie. To be free from encumberment, to enjoy life with abandonment, to unchain ourselves (conscious choice) and just go roam (don’t forget your book on how to get there from here; take plenty of water; tell your loved ones where you’re going – or maybe not), this is to live life!
Our Golden died several years ago. There is not, now or never has been any replacement. I think it is much like the loss of your wife. Not replaceable. Sometimes when I think of “Sugar” I still tear up. When I told my story about “Sugar” and the pain A person i had just met and never saw again suggested reading “Racing in the Rain” it really helped. The ending of the story tells it all. It made the pain decrease. That person appeared and told me what might help. Who was the person? I do not know who he was or where he came from.
Thank you Jim for this recommendation – “Racing in the Rain.” Now on my list!
Seen moments ago on social media, a site entitled “Dog Lover” was this quote superimposed over the silhouette of a dog: “those who teach the most about humanity aren’t always human,” by Donald L. Hicks.