To simply live is to live simply…there are not many steps required to enjoy the greatest things life has to offer.
The following text is a rudimentary recipe for successfully achieving happiness through simplicity. Follow each step to completion before embarking on the next, as there is no alternate method of cheating one’s way along the path to blissful existence.
STEP ONE
Get a big dog. Bigger is better, the biggest you can find.
Give him a cute name…because he WILL be cute, even if you can’t see it at first.
Don’t worry too much about the details of his name, it won’t much matter later as you will ultimately embellish upon it with a variety of nicknames better suited to particular aspects of his personality. Finding new names for a big dog is one of life’s greatest pastimes. Later you will discover that the depth of your relationship can be measured by the volume of names amassed through time spent together. It is a sad dog that must live out his entire existence with only one name. The secret to life is to be known in more ways than one.
The best results in this step are achieved by selecting a young puppy. Puppies are cute from the beginning and thus, your enjoyment begins immediately. The added benefit of choosing a puppy is that you will have the maximum length of time available to spend together. The secret to life is all about enjoying the passage of time.
Get another big dog. Bigger is better, the biggest you can find.
Give him a cute name…because he too will be cute, even if you can’t see it at first.
Pick out a name that sounds different from the name of the first dog…this will go a long way to avoid confusion. The secret to life is all about avoiding confusion.
Big dogs like to hang around with other big dogs and you will find much greater enjoyment in the interplay among them. They will develop their own relationship in addition to the ones they have with you…this is a family. The secret to life is having a good family.
Teach your dogs how to be more like you, because they would really like to know. At the same time allow them to teach you how to be more like them, because you would really like to know. The secret to life is all about learning what you don’t know. You will find that there is no end to the depth of knowledge to be offered by a big dog, and goes still deeper with two big dogs.
Give each dog a job to do, something that they will enjoy and WANT to do all the time. The best tasks are those that fill a need for others as these provide a true purpose. The secret to life is all about fulfilling a purpose. With gentle care and guidance your big dogs will quickly assume many roles with remarkable capability. You will discover exciting new adventures each time you tag along with them, especially when you become engaged in their activities, the best of which will involve you as an integral part. The secret to life is all about becoming involved.
Give your dogs some time off once in a while because sometimes they just like to be dogs. Take some time off for yourself and just be a dog like them. Lay down on the floor and just breathe, with your head on your paws. Roll over on your back and wriggle with your limbs waving aimlessly above your chest. Bark a little bit and shake your head from side to side. Stick out your tongue and lick at the air. Take a nap and don’t be afraid to snore if you want. This is your time to be free of human convention, with no concern for the opinions of others. The secret to life is all about freedom.
Eat what you feel you need, and don’t be afraid to fill your belly with good food. Rely on your natural instinct to determine what you will allow inside your body. Watch your dogs to learn how this is done. A general rule of thumb states that people should eat more like dogs, and dogs should NOT eat more like people. They know better, follow their natural example. The secret to life is all about following natural examples.
Talk to your dogs because they like to hear it, even if they don’t understand all the words. Use your hands to develop another form of communication like sign language. They will quickly learn to comprehend your silent speech if you are consistent. The secret to life is all about consistent communication. Learn to also understand their methods of talking to you, through their use of body language and posturing. In this way you can talk to them about everything and nothing and they will get the message.
Touch your dogs all over, all the time. Do more than just pet them, they will return the favor. This fosters trust among separate beings and trust is the foundation of love. The secret to life is to trust in love.
Use all available means to capture and hold the memories of your relationships with your dogs. Take pictures of everything, wherever you go and whatever you do together. Build scrapbooks to hold objects and written records of events…save everything for future reference, no matter how small. The secret to life is all about remembering to never forget.
Be kind, patient and forgiving as your dogs reach their elder years. Allow yourself the privilege of being amazed at their incredible dignity under these circumstances. Do your very best to selflessly provide comfort for them, as they have always done for you. Do not allow them to experience any pain or to suffer in any way. Always be mindful of the simple fact that they would give their life for you under any circumstance, without hesitation. Listen to them closely and pay extra attention at the final hour as they may ask for your help in finding final peace. The secret to life is all about passing in peace.
STEP TWO
Allow ample time for mourning, until you feel your heart instead begin to celebrate the glorious experience shared. The secret to life is all about sharing glorious experiences, so…Proceed to STEP ONE.
brokenandrebuilding 