Doggone It

     These days, for a few days,  John and I are dog-sitting for a couple friends of ours who are in Hawaii.   Our dog Leo stayed with them when we were in Michigan over Christmas, so Leo and their dog Maggie are buddies already.  They are both sweet,  lovable dogs, and they get along well.

    I think I look a bit bedraggled here.   Coping with two big dogs is not as easy as I expected.  This morning I thought I would perch on my meditation couch by the window overlooking the gorgeous scenery out back, sip a cup of coffee, read a bit from my newest interfaith book, and listen to some Buddhist chant Janelle brought me back from Nepal.    

     It seems the dogs had other ideas.   They both decided at once that meditating with me on the couch was a splendid idea, and they both jumped up and settled themselves on on top of me.  I really wouldn't have guessed those two big dogs would have both fit on my lap at once, but you can see by the picture John took that they were quite successful.   I gave up on my idea of sipping coffee and reading, and decided it was clear that my meditation was supposed to be DOG centered.  Which is GOD spelled backward.  Appropriate!  

    While I stroked them both and whispered now and then in their ears what good dogs they were, I joined them in the joy of just BEING in the moment, not thinking profound thoughts, just enjoying the love we were sharing.

    If I jumped in God's lap like that more often, and just soaked up Divine Love with the same relaxed spirit of trust and pleasure, I would probably have progressed spiritually a lot more.

I think I try too hard too often.   So with their inspiration, I will relax and enjoy God more, and think less, especially during times of meditation.

     I reflect now on how different the experience would have been if I resisted it,  shooed the dogs away, and persisted in following my plan.  I think I would have missed some precious, God/dog moments!   And I would, at least for a few moments, have felt the irritation that goes with resisting what is.  Needless suffering is what the sages call resisting what is happening in any given moment in my life.    Needless suffering.   Who needs it?  Why allow it? 

      I heard Matthew Fox, a favorite author of mine,  lecture years ago at Central Reformed Church, and he got a laugh when he said "My dog is my spiritual director."  

With a big smile, I say " Ditto!"