Thoughts Like Happy Dogs In the Sun

 

Granddog Cali,
rescued from a kill shelter,
joyously happy to be alive

"Be the Observer," my friend told me, once,
when someone was behaving badly.
And so I Observe, and try to remember
each of us is on our own journey,
at our own pace, and that
I don't have to be the same as you,
or you, me, to be okay.

"Name your thoughts," the poet said,
"you might be surprised to know
how many thoughts are judging
instead of loving, of criticizing
instead of accepting and letting go.

"Never put anyone out of your heart,"
she says, and I am caught
on the point of my own invisible sword
that I raised to protect me.

For humans are difficult.
They are not dogs.
A dog may fear, but he does not judge.
He may flinch, but he has little choice
but to trust the hand coming toward him
will not hurt him.

Words hurt. Our gift of speech
is not always a gift.

I wish to  loose my thoughts
like happy dogs circling in the sun,
tongues out, grins drooly and delirious,
running and leaping with each other
on a long sandy beach
where nothing exists except
this moment of being present -
just perfectly,
       and ever so gratefully
here.

Inspired by Susan Browne's "Buddha's Dogs". The italicized words are hers.