Dogs seem to have a handle on the important things. The secrets to living a good life seem to come intuitively. They live lives free of worry about what others think about them. They live “the full life.”
Source: Wikimedia CommonsUnconditional Love
Dogs can love unconditionally. It takes a scratch behind the ears and an affectionate pat on the head to win the love of a dog. Once obtained, few conflicts will turn a dog’s love from you. You have to do a lot to lose your dog’s love.
Humans are a little more selective. It takes nice words, a few trying experiences, and a long time for us to learn to love. In that same vein trust and love is broken with a few words spoken in anger, or a single act made in frustration.
Love comes hard and leaves quickly. What would happen if we learned to love someone unconditionally come hell and high water?
Loyalty
Earn a dog’s love and you earn their loyalty forever. Their protective instincts transform them from kind and harmless pups into snarling security guards when danger shows its ugly face.
Among men, that loyalty is often only found in immediate family members, close friends, and military personnel.
Forgiveness
As said before, once you have the unconditional love of a pup, you’ll never lose it. Dogs forgive for major hurts in an instant, whereas humans will sometimes take decades to do the same for minor infractions.
How much more fulfilled could our lives be when we remove the pain of rejection and loneliness from our hearts and let love take its place?
The difference between dogs and their owners is that the dogs live true to themselves. Mankind hasn’t quite figured that one out. We’re often too protective of our hearts to let someone take our full love, loyalty, and forgiveness. How much more could we live if we let love, loyalty, and forgiveness become the main characteristics by which we are known?