The Lessons Dogs Never Try to Teach Us

Dogs.

I have always loved them. Especially dachshunds.

My wife and I have had four of them since we got married in 1992. Each one different in their own way but all of them the same in the ways that matter.

They don’t overthink anything. They don’t worry about what might happen tomorrow. They don’t question whether they’re doing life the right way.

They just show up. They’re there when you walk through the door. They’re there when you’re having a good day. They’re there when you’re not.

They don't need explanations. They don't need the world to make sense. They just stay. There’s something about that. Something simple but not easy.

I have spent a lot of my life thinking. Trying to understand things that don’t always have answers. But if you watch a dog long enough, you start to realize something: I wish I had learned that lesson much earlier in life.

They remind us to be present. To appreciate what's right in front of us. To love without conditions.  And in a quiet way, they teach you what matters.

One of my favorite Native American legends tells of the moment when God separated mankind from the rest of the animal kingdom. As the gap widened between them, one animal made a different choice. Dog ran toward humanity instead of away from it, leaping across the divide to stay beside us forever. Whether historically authentic or simply folklore, I've always loved what that story suggests about loyalty.

The older I get, the less interested I become in having every answer. That is why dogs have become such remarkable teachers. They never try to explain love. They simply demonstrate it. They do not wonder whether they are living meaningful lives. They simply make us better.

There is a great deal of suffering in the world - disease, accidents, war, grief, and countless hardships that none of us escape forever. Death is part of life. I understand that intellectually, even if I am not sure I'll ever completely accept it. My hope for those who are suffering today is simply that they find peace along their journey.

Dogs have given so much of themselves to mankind throughout history. Their loyalty and companionship have saved many of us over the years. They certainly have saved me. For this I am forever grateful. My life has been enriched by having my dogs. My family’s has as well.

Years ago someone pointed out that DOG is simply GOD spelled backwards.

I don't know whether that's profound or just a clever coincidence.

But I do know this:

If God wanted to remind us how to love without conditions, forgive without hesitation, live in the present, and remain loyal even when life becomes difficult...He couldn't have chosen a much better teacher.

Maybe that's why I've always loved dogs.

Especially dachshunds.

Adapted from my book, Resurrection Fern: Trying to Understand It All.

David B. Gourgues believes that the most important questions in life rarely have simple answers. His writing explores leadership, grief, faith, doubt, resilience, and the search for meaning. He is the author of Resurrection Fern: Trying to Understand It All and the host of the upcoming podcast Still Searching. Read more at www.davidgourgues.com.