Life's Lessons from a Dog

“We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults.  Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment.”
~George Eliot

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Our family has a Golden Retriever, named Coach.   Coach's name was bestowed upon him by a family decision. I had recommended the name to my family largely as a result of my passion for coaching sports.  Being a coach, my primary responsibility is to teach.  To me, a coach is really a teacher with a whistle.   

Coach really is a coach.  Why? Because he is a teacher!   He has taught me some very valuable lessons about life.  His presence serves as a constant reminder to me that life was meant to be enjoyed.

These are the life lessons that Coach has taught me:

Live in the Moment: To coach, there is no past, nor future.  Hence, he is not burdened by his past, nor is he anxious about his future.  Living in the present, allows him to focus on what is important at that moment; it may be his family, chasing a squirrel, or playing fetch.  Since time is irrelevant and the present is the only thing that exists for Coach, he is fully tuned into what is important to him during the moment.

The Importance of Exercise:  When Coach hears my alarm clock or hears me stirring early in the morning, he greets me full of energy.  He is ready to go for our morning run.  His excitement and energy far outmatches mine early in the morning.  Coach looks forward to getting out and getting his daily exercise.  He is my running partner.  His excitement reminds me of how thankful I should be for my health and the ability to get up each morning and exercise.  He has taught me to exercise because I can!

The value of play:  Out of the blue, Coach will appear with a toy in his mouth.  The toy tells me it’s play time.  Coach reminds me that even with a hectic life it is necessary to take a time-out and play.  Play is what reenergizes us a keeps the creative spirit of childhood alive within us.

Friendship:  “Man’s best friend” – Isn’t that the truth!  Coach’s companionship and incessant loyalty far outmatch anything that I have observed in the human realm.  He reminds me that in order to be a true friend, I must willing to give freely of myself and commit to being there for my friends.  Coach does not judge me.  He accepts me for who I am.  I too must refrain from casting judgment and accept my friends for who they are.

Being Thankful:  Coach gets fed once a day.   As soon as you place his dish in front of him he commences his "dinner dance."   His dance consists of backward steps, a few circles and a few jumps.   His dance reminds me of how excited and thankful I should be should be about all my gifts from God.  It is the same thing day after day for coach – the same time of day, the same bowl and the same food.  Yet, he remains excited.  The excitement in his dance reminds me to never take anything for granted, no matter how mundane they may appear.

Unconditional love: By far, the most endearing characteristic of a dog is unconditional love.  No matter how I treat Coach, he loves me the same.  His love is not based upon circumstances.  It is a genuine love.  If I ignore him, he loves me the same.  If I yell at him, he loves me the same.  If I punish him, he loves me the same.  It doesn't matter if I leave for 30 seconds or 30 days his love for me never changes.  Coach teaches me that the purest form of love is a love freely given with no expectations of anything in return.

A great coach teaches lessons; lessons about the game, and more importantly, lessons about life.  Although he is just a dog, Coach just might be one of the best coaches I have ever had. 

Thanks for the lessons Coach! 

It's your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD