What we can learn from dogs during today’s political climate

We live in an angry, sad and lonely culture here in America. We often don’t know where our emptiness comes from because we’re afraid to look within so we instead project our anger and sadness onto things and people who have very little to do with our individual lives. We hate others because we see things in them that we see in ourselves. We join tribes not because we truly think the way they do but because we’re lonely and we’re seeking connection. We hate other tribes not because we truly believe they’re bad but because we’re fearful and we’re seeking security. We make ideas and beliefs sacred not because we revere them but because we’re seeking purpose. I think god made dogs our best friends so that we can learn from them. Dogs don’t love us because we think a certain way they just love us for being us (unconditional love). You can come home after an extremely stressful day, take your anger out on your dog, kick him and the next day he’ll still greet you at the door with his tail wagging (forgiveness). You can share your pizza crust with them that you were planning to throw away and they’ll consider it a prized possession (gratefulness). We put on a facade as if we live perfect lives but dogs see us at our lowest moments and wouldn’t change a thing about us (acceptance). We hold onto things from the past and we stress about the future so much that we can’t even enjoy the blessings we currently have in our lives. Yet your dog could have grown up a stray in a third world country and he may have a vet appointment to get neutered tomorrow yet he won’t know nor would he care. He’s just happy to snuggle with you on the couch and share some french fries with you (living in the moment). I too sometimes get caught up with all the madness in the world but then I take a look at the dogs I care for, I see how happy and unbothered they are and I realize they’re living in this world too. This causes me to self reflect and to get to the bottom of my negative feelings and emotions which helps me realize how blessed I am, how little I have to complain about and how my negative thoughts of others has little to do with them but more to do with the ugliest parts of myself and of the internal work I still need to do. When you’re feeling angry instead of looking for someone to blame try figuring out why you’re so sad. If you find yourself falling into an echo chamber where you’re blindly following the heard and you’re insulating yourself from outsiders, leave that tribe try reconnecting with friends and family. If you find yourself pointing fingers at people you don’t like (or you think you don’t like) first try to see what you have in common. If you feel the need to be heard try being a better person first then watch as your need to be heard fades away. Love everyone including yourself, forgive everyone including yourself, show some grace, be humble, appreciate what you have and live in the moment. Or in other words… be like a dog! 🐶❤️