Marley's Diary: A Spiritual Look at Life From a Dog's Perspective

Marley's Diary:

A Spiritual Look at Life From a Dog's Perspective

By Ken Tyson

Copyright 2012 by Ken Tyson

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Marley's Diary

The Rainbow Bridge

Epilogue

INTRODUCTION

For centuries dogs and humans have been together. Why are we such companions? Dogs bark, dig, lick, get worms, fleas and ticks and steal burgers from the grill. They have to be fed, bathed, brushed, walked, played with and watered. They have to be trained to do their business outside and then it has to be cleaned up.

Dogs need attention, loving care, training, good nutrition, bathing, vaccines, flea, tick and worm treatment, nail trims, playtime, and a clean, warm place to sleep. They need a veterinarian and must be cared for when you go on vacation or away for the night or a weekend.

Today the human and dog bond is stronger than ever. People spend billions of dollars each year on their pets without blinking an eye. They are an example to all of how to say thank you to man's best friend.

A loved and well cared for dog will do anything to protect their human and will die for them. They warn us of danger. They are among the heroes after a disaster. They find the dead for a proper burial and the living who are covered with so much rubble or snow that no human could ever find them without the advanced nose of the dog. Stories about canine heroes are in the thousands and occur each day. Our lives are richer, happier, and so much better with our dog.

For decades dogs have been guiding the blind and deaf. They create a quality of life not found with any other animal. Dogs help people with anxiety and calm children and adults with autism, bi-polar disorders and other challenges. By simply petting a dog, a human becomes more relaxed and their blood pressure drops.

Dogs warn us when someone is at the door or when an intruder has entered the house. They sniff out bombs and drugs and seem to know when someone has ill intent. Dogs are looking out for us at all times, always on alert. Dogs are the ultimate protectors. They are indeed man's best friend and bring out the best in people. The love for a dog can bring tears to the eyes of the most jaded and hardened person.

When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet will also test your strength and courage. If you allow, the journey will teach you many things about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love.

You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark. Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures - jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of water puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.

Dogs are our family members now more than ever. People sleep with their dogs, cuddle with them and take them on vacation. They pamper their dogs, dress their dogs and buy them only the best dog food available. We thank our dogs every day for their love, companionship and individual personality. We adore our dogs and they in turn adore us.

If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information. Your pace may be slower, except when heading home to the food dish, but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field.

Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details, such as the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig.

You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends may not understand, such as spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the dog food brand your canine must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride.

You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewy toys, bounce little rubber balls until your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie with a puppy in hot pursuit, all in the name of love.

Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse. You will learn the true measure of love. The steadfast, undying kind that says, It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together. Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race.

You will learn humility. A dog sees not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only his wonderful companion. Or maybe he sees those things and dismisses them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so choose to love you anyway.

Dogs love you when you're happy, sad or angry. It seems they love you more when you're lonely or don't feel well. Mostly, they just want to be with their human. Your dog is a family member. They trust you to care for them. Do a good job and the rewards are priceless.

When the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be, the one it was proud to call beloved friend.

This journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down. And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet's time on earth is far too short, especially for those that love them. We borrow them just for a while and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left.

The dog that only yesterday was a puppy is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy now wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle gone to gray.

When the life of a dog passes, grieving is often deeper and more devastating than when people close to us die. Perhaps this is because the dog gives us unyielding, unconditional love and devotion through its entire lifetime. No other species of living thing on Earth, including human beings, possesses the capacity to give so much, demand so little, and forgive so quickly. What a unique blessing this is!

When we lose our friend and companion, we inevitably ask ourselves, Did this dog have a soul? Was his life on Earth his last? Does his spirit move up and on to a higher place? After having given us the rare gift of his life, surely the dog must move on to an eternal place. Theologians and religious scholars are reluctant to decide, so for most, the question remains unanswered. I have known too many dogs in a special way that I have never known people. My heart knows the answer.

When the time comes and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead, young and whole once more. Deep down we somehow always knew that this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must, for it is all they ask in return. God speed, good friend, we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again.

(A portion of the introduction contributed by Crystal Ward Kent, Copyright 1998, www.journeyforanimals.com, All Rights Reserved, used by permission.)

MARLEY'S DIARY

October 12:

Dear Diary,

One of my best friends is Jordan, a white German Shepherd that lives a few houses away from us. She and I visit each other often, as Daddy and Jordan's Mom are very close friends.

Jordan is very rambunctious and is constantly in trouble with her Mom. But she's not half as crazy as her stepbrother Poncho, and stepsisters Anna and Marti, all Chihuahuas.

Today while we were visiting them I noticed Poncho was very quiet and somewhat humiliated. I asked him, Que pasa, Poncho?

Poncho begrudgingly explained, "I should start by saying that I love my Mom. She's great. She feeds me treats, shares her pillow and blankets with me, and she's almost always willing to get out of bed when I feel the need for a 3am potty break.

"But this morning she really stretched the boundaries of my love for her. She - I can barely say it - put a coat on me! Worse yet, it was some silly leopard print faux fur thing that I'm sure was originally bought for one of my dopey sisters.

"No doubt Anna's fat gut couldn't fit into it and Marti's shiverin' body was too dinky. So she put it on me! Then she said how cute I was and that she was glad that I would keep warm this winter. DUH!

"Did she not notice the fur I already have covering my entire body? I was so humiliated. First some vet takes away my manhood, and then this. I will never be able to hang out at the park with the guys now."

We had a good laugh at Poncho's expense as he hung his head in shame. Then Jordan told one on herself:

A couple of days ago I was half-snoozing in the house next to the patio door. Suddenly I noticed Something was moving in the backyard. I immediately bounced up on all four paws, raised my hackles, and went into hunt mode ready to pounce on that Something", except I forgot the door was closed. I banged my nose on the stupid glass door when I tried to scramble out. Mom laughed at me.

I whined at Mom and pointed my ears and muzzle at the Something" that was slowly crawling across the yard. I was trying to tell her to hurry up and let me out before it escaped. I was whining and quivering in excitement. I wanted it really bad.

Mom got up to see what had caught my interest, made me forget about the closed glass patio doors and put me in my hunt posture. She looked at the Something" and shook her head. She opened the patio door so I could go out and deal with it and rid the backyard of the evil creature.

Using the potted patio plants for cover, I slowly stalked my way towards where the Something was crawling and rolling around. I reached it just as it passed the plant I was hiding behind. I was about to pounce in for the kill when I suddenly identified what the Something" was. It was just a stupid white plastic grocery bag getting blown around by the wind. I almost attacked and killed a stupid plastic bag instead of one of those pesky cats or a nice big rat.

I snorted in disgust at the stupid bag and wandered back into the house. Mom laughed at me and asked if I had fun practicing my stalk and hunt skills on a grocery bag. I just sighed and went back to my interrupted nap.

Marley.

October 31:

Dear Diary,

I have never liked to see dogs dressed in human clothes. But it seems many humans like it, especially with small dogs. Daddy has never done this with me until today.

He approached me carrying a small Hawaiian flowered shirt in his hands while smiling and slowly calling my name. I knew he was up to something I was not going to like. He put my legs into the shirt and slid it up to my belly, then around my back and secured it. He placed a flowered lei around my neck and exclaimed, Don't you look gorgeous! We're a couple of cool beach dogs, aren't we girl? Happy Halloween! I found it interesting that he also was wearing the exact style of shirt as he put on me.

He reached over to the table and picked up his camera. I hate that thing. He is always trying to take pictures of me and I just don't like it. Every time he holds the camera up I pull back my ears and give him the most disgusted look I can muster. He took a couple of pictures of me anyway and begged me to perk up by saying words like cookie and squirrel. Nope, I don't like that thing.

We got into the car and drove to his friend's house, Miss Liz. She has a Staffordshire Terrier named Lucy - fifty pounds of solid muscle. She and I are about the same age but she is so rambunctious and is definitely the pack leader in her house.

While