You know how it is. Lots to do, errands, paperwork, but still the seductive cuddle of a comfy chair pulls you down to nap land, where things are dark and quiet and cool.
I had moments of a dreamy bicycle ride through a balsam forest. I touched a stream where frogs blew kisses. I caught a bouquet from an onlooker to a parade, in which I was suddenly riding proudly on the bow of a float designed to resemble Noah's Arc, complete with Noah.
Noah reached out and tapped me on the back.
"You gonna buy it?" asked Noah.
I looked around, and the float blossomed into a huge bookstore. A large volume fell from a high shelf into my arms.
It was called "THE WISDOM OF DOG." I opened the furry pages, and the book shivered and yawned. Then it began to bark out these aphorisms:
1. You can spend thousands of dollars on therapy. But hundreds on a puppy will get better mental health results.
2. Don't confuse the relief you feel from a dog's approval—you're still a schmuck.
3. You can find a wife who, maybe, likes to hear you talk for a few mintues. But your dog will enjoy your voice all day as long as it ends in a meal, a nice walk, and a tummy scratch.
4. Never use the word "biscuit" in vain.
5. A dog knows three things that people don't: loyalty, appreciation, and devotion.
6. Learn from your dog: It's not the lottery, recognition at work, nor public approval—it's a good hike, a decent snack, and a long cuddle that makes each day worthwhile.
7. Remember this piece of dog wisdom: much of life someone else is holding your leash—just do your business, and don't forget to enjoy the walk, and smell all the good smells.
8. A dog gets mostly scraps: left-over foods, cheap kibble, spare moments. In return people receive devotion, admiration, and wholehearted love. There are no court cases in Beverly Hills of dogs who demand compensation for this.
9. In Heaven, you'll meet every pet you've known on earth. Only you'll trade places. Be right with pets now, and heaven will be more heavenly.
10. Never underestimate the value of a good nap.
With that I awakened to world run by humans again. And, though it all seems much more familiar, it is a little disappointing.
