A NEW TRUTH LEARNED ABOUT LOVE IN 2012
Monday January 2, 2012 11:25 pmI hadn't really thought about writing so soon on my blog this new year but I learned something within the last 30 minutes and I thought I would write while it was still fresh to me. Anyway... I'll try to start at the beginning... at least sort of, then build up to it and explain what it is that I just learned. I'll give you a hint... well, two really: it has to do with a lesson two dogs just taught me, and the subject is love.
I suppose that I was probably the only person in the world to make some new year resolutions... right? I mean surely, no one else thought of doing something as unique as that? Well, I made several and I am quite certain I will eventually break all of them that I made. Now, I won't say what all of them were but I will say that I stuck close to home today in trying to keep one of them. But, I must frankly admit that this one will probably be the first one to go by the wayside. Although, I have made it almost 48 hours so far. (Well, in the interest of being factual it has been about 96 hours for this one.)
Because I have hung around all day I saw that Virgil had gotten sick and had gone to bed early. I might not have noticed this had I been gone... so, I have another reason to be glad I was here today, besides trying to make good on a resolution. About an hour ago I was passing by the bedroom door and his head popped up to watch me pass, so I turned back and laid down at the foot of the bed beside him.
Most dogs are not comfortable if you stare into their eyes for long. If you have ever tried this you will see them start “acting guilty” and they will begin to nervously look around, down, or anywhere other than your eyes. Virgil and I though are old friends and we have done this for so long that he will hold my gaze as long as I care to look.
I slipped my arm under his side and in a few seconds he rested his big head on my left bicep and he just stared directly into my eyes. I began to talk softly to him telling him how pretty I think he is and how much I care for him. With his eyes still on my own he started softly snoring... actually falling asleep with his eyes still open and me talking to him. That ought to give any person reading this some idea of what a great conversationalist I am... listen to me talk for just a few minutes and I can put you to sleep.
Even though I was talking very low Stella must have heard me and she came into the room and jumped up on the bed behind me. Then she stepped over my back and directly on top of Virgil. He leaped to his feet and indignantly made his way to the head of the bed and did what dogs have done since the beginning of time, as they are making their “bed” for sleep. He turned in slow circles and pawed at the comforter and sheets until he made what must (to him) seem an appropriate spot for the night, then he lay down. Within a couple of minutes he was breathing deep even breaths and snoring loudly... my little guy was fast asleep!
Stella now had her head on my arm and was looking at me intently... so, I started talking to her and I lied and told her how pretty she is. Now, I really do care for Stella as she is a sweet dog and she meets me at the door even as Virgil does when I come home. But, she is not pretty, she is rather horrid in the looks department: but it is nothing she can help and I don't hold that against her. In fact, she more than makes up by being a nice dog for what she lacks in the looks department. That is my back-story: now on to what these two dogs just taught me about “love.”
The first time I ever saw Virgil I can't say for certain that I loved him, but I think I somehow knew that I would end up loving him and he would become my favorite dog in all the world. He was just a few weeks old and he had a skinny body, legs that were too long... and an impossibly large head: he was adorable (: At that time he was Roger's dog and Roger bought, sold, and traded a lot of dogs. Because of that fact the very first words I ever said to Roger about Virgil (as I leaned down to scratch the top of his head) was, “That dog is a keeper!”
Thankfully, a couple of months later Steph and Roger presented Virgil to me as a gift. From that first time I saw him until this day, we have been fast friends. Now, I guess I always took it for granted that there was something about him above all other dogs which caused me to love him without even trying: but until tonight that never really sank in to me. At least not until Stella climbed into my arms so I could baby-talk her also.
And I realized as I stroked the top of her head and spoke soft words to her that I could never care for her the way I do Virgil. Make no mistake... I do care for her, but it would never be the same with her or any other dog as I feel about Virgil; and here is the lesson... I didn't have to “try” to love Virgil. I didn't have to work anything up... loving Virgil came as naturally to me as breathing air. I guess I never realized that before. Maybe I thought I bonded with him so much because of the many hikes, walks, car trips that we have taken, and the countless stories I have told him: but that is not it. I realized just about an hour ago that the many hikes, walks, car trips that we have taken, and the countless stories I have told him... were all because I already loved him! And that is why I have always wanted him by my side.
So, here is my thought for 2012 on the subject of love, and this lesson will be as it relates to people. And, of course. I'm speaking about true love. I think that type of love must be something which happens apart from any effort on another person's behalf. I imagine it is possible to love a person because you might choose to love them... and that might also be a great love... I'm not sure? But, if there is another who every single time you think of them it brings a smile to your face, if you know life would be practically unbearable without them, if all you want is their happiness even above your own, if you would give all you have to be with them... well, you probably have one of those once in a lifetime loves. And for that you ought to be very grateful!
Now, keep in mind that what I wrote this evening has to be true because I just learned it from two of my dogs... and, who has ever heard of a dog telling a lie?
posted by Robin Johnson @ 11:16 PM
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