Journey with Snoop

I hate to admit it, but I dint see how my life had suddenly hit rock bottom. There was a constant feeling of emptiness, a void which I couldn’t seem to fill, no matter what I tried. I wanted someone who’s just be there and listen to my endless cribbing and whining about how unfair the world is, without judging me.

When I first saw Snoop at the airport, I knew it was love at first sight. Whoever said money can’t buy love, didn’t think about little puppies. They’re examples of how big things come in little packages.

From the day I brought him home, never once did I experience the feeling of loneliness. When I introduced Snoop into my life , I began a journey - a journey that has brought me more love and devotion than I’ve ever known.

This journey that I embarked upon has taught me many lessons, about life, about myself, and most of all, about love and fidelity. Love that is unconditional, forgiving, accepting and without expectations. This experience has changed me forever.

Snoop has taught me to savor life’s simple pleasures: jumping in leaves, chasing birds, stopping to sniff the flowers (and everything else you can find.. lol! The ickier, the better), playing in the dust, turning around thrice before finding the coziest spot to lie on, the joy of puddles and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears. He’s also taught me to enjoy spending time outdoors, and how to truly experience every element, for no rock or leave goes unexamined, no bush overlooked, and even the air inhaled will be pondered upon, and noted as being full of valuable information.

Lately, I’ve realized how my life was on autopilot, my goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. All this while I’ve been missing the details – strange bugs, funny shaped mushrooms, the bees, rotting logs, feathers floating beautifully down to the ground, and how lovely the rain moistened earth smelled. Once you walk as a dog does, you discover a whole new world. I did. I now kick over leaf heaps, jump into puddles, look around. I’ve learnt what every dog already knows: nature is marvelously complex, full of surprises and ever-changing and each day, an essence in its own.

Even when I’m indoors, I find myself attuned to the world around me. I’ve caught myself watching frogs hop around, noticing the insects hovering around the windows, observing how the monkeys enjoy basking in the sun. the fact that there is no objective in doing this, is irrelevant .The point is to not let these details slip by again.

I’ve found myself doing silly things, talking in baby language and using funny nicknames- things my pet-less friends don’t understand.

Until recently I thought I knew what love was, boy was I wrong !! If you think humans understand what fidelity and compassion is all about, think again. We’re nowhere even close to interpreting what these words mean. But we can learn the true measure of love – the unshakable, undying, ever loyal kind that says: “ It doesn’t matter where we are or what we do, as long as we’re together”. My respect for animals has grown, while I’ve lost what respect I had for the human race.

Even though the people who know me will think I wear an air of snob around me, but believe me, I’ve learnt humility. Often, the look in Snoop’s eyes makes me feel ashamed. Such joy and respect in return for the little that I do for him. He saw not some flawed, imperfect human who could be moody and rude, short-tempered and stubborn, but only his wonderful companion. Or maybe he did see those imperfections and dismissed them as mere human follies, not worth considering and chose to love me anyway. Something humans are definitely not capable of.

From now on, I will strive to be a better person, a person Snoop believes me to be.