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I believe in my dog.
I believe in the way he lives his life, and I try to emulate him. I strive to gain his level of happiness in the simplest of things. Like the way he approaches each meal with endless appreciation and even joy. While I struggle to decide what to eat from full cupboards and lament what I don’t have, he circles the floor, excitedly anticipating the very same meal, in the very same portion, at the very same time every day.
I believe in how he lives in the present. As my day fills with stress, crowded commutes and endless deadlines, I think of Duncan home alone. His day was probably boring, but he’s ready to move right past it once we’re together.
I believe in his 1)egalitarian treatment of everyone despite race, 2)creed or appearance. He never pre-judges. Before I had him, I considered myself “street smart,” avoiding eye contact with people I didn’t know or didn’t think I wanted to know. Running through Chicago neighborhoods with Duncan has changed all that. Now when people smile at us, I smile back, and if Duncan stops to say hello I stop and greet them, too.
I never had a dog before; I got Duncan at the urging of a friend who had probably grown as tired of my 3)bachelor behavior as I had. My long work nights and weekends always ended with a lonely run, a 4)bourbon or two, or a phone call to someone I didn’t really listen to. All I talked about was me and what was wrong with my life. My friends stopped asking me out because I was always either at work or talking about work.
I had dates with women who would mistakenly think I was loyal to them but I never returned their calls or thanked them for the cookies they left on my doorstep. I was what some people would call “a5)dog”—a bad dog. Not one person depended on me, nor I upon them. One Sunday I woke up at noon, and I suddenly noticed how silent both my house and my life were. I realized I couldn’t expect any valued relationship unless I created one first. So I got Duncan.
All of a sudden, where no one had ever depended on me before, he did. It was an extreme 6)detox from selfishness: Let me out. Feed me. Clean up after me. Watch me sleep. I found that I actually liked being relied upon. When I realized that I could meet his needs, I also realized he met mine.
I believe in the nobility of Duncan’s loyalty, and his enthusiasm. Every time I come in the door, he’s waiting to greet me with glee.
Now, when my girlfriend comes over, I get up and run to the door to greet her like I learned to do from my dog.
我信任我的狗。
我崇尚他的生活方式,还努力仿效他的生活方式。我力求像他那样从最简单的事物中获取同等的快乐,像他那样,在每顿餐食面前总满怀感激甚至喜悦之情。我常看着装满食物的食橱,苦于抉择,还怨叹不足,而他则在地板上绕圈,兴奋地期待着他的美餐——其食物、份量、供应时间每天都是一成不变的。
我崇尚他活在当下的这种方式。因为我的日子充满压力、拥挤的通勤路程和无尽的任务限期,我会想到独自呆在家里的邓肯。他的日子大概很闷,但只要我们聚在一起,他就会把烦闷忘掉。
我崇尚他待人平等,不论对方的种族、信仰或外貌如何。他从无成见。在拥有他之前,我认为自己极具“街头智慧”——我会避免与我不认识或不想认识的人有眼神接触。和邓肯一起跑过芝加哥临近的街区改变了那一切。现在,当人们对我们微笑,我会报以微笑。并且,如果邓肯停下来和他人打招呼,我也会停下来打招呼。
我之前从未养过狗。一个朋友大概跟我一样越发厌倦我的单身生活,在他的劝说下,我才养了邓肯。过去,晚上、周末,在漫长的加班后,我多半是一个人孤独地跑步,或是喝上一两瓶波旁威士忌酒,又或是和某人心不在焉地打一通电话。我谈论的无非就是自己及自己生活中的差错烦恼。我不是在忙工作就是在谈工作,就这样,我的朋友不再约我出来了。
我和女人们约会,她们总错误地以为我对其一片忠心,但我从不给她们回电话,或是感谢她们在我门口留下曲奇饼。过去,我是一些人口中所谓的“坏蛋”——坏家伙。没人依赖我,我也不依赖任何人。一个周日,我睡到中午才醒来,我突然注意到,我的房子和我的生活如此安静。我意识到,除非我先去建立一段珍贵的关系,不然我就别指望会获得任何珍贵的关系。于是,我养了邓肯。
突然,之前方方面面从未有什么东西依赖我,而现在他会依赖我。这极大地帮助了我摈弃自私的品性:“带我出门”、“给我吃的”、“替我清理大小便”、“看着我睡觉”。我发现自己其实喜欢被依赖的感觉。当我意识到自己可以满足他的需要时,我也意识到他可以满足我的需要。
我崇尚邓肯忠心耿耿的高尚品格,还有他的满腔热忱。每次我走进家门,他都在开心地等着迎接我。
现在,当我的女友过来我家,我会起身跑到门口去迎接她,这是我从我的狗那学到的。
I believe in the way he lives his life, and I try to emulate him. I strive to gain his level of happiness in the simplest of things. Like the way he approaches each meal with endless appreciation and even joy. While I struggle to decide what to eat from full cupboards and lament what I don’t have, he circles the floor, excitedly anticipating the very same meal, in the very same portion, at the very same time every day.
I believe in how he lives in the present. As my day fills with stress, crowded commutes and endless deadlines, I think of Duncan home alone. His day was probably boring, but he’s ready to move right past it once we’re together.
I believe in his 1)egalitarian treatment of everyone despite race, 2)creed or appearance. He never pre-judges. Before I had him, I considered myself “street smart,” avoiding eye contact with people I didn’t know or didn’t think I wanted to know. Running through Chicago neighborhoods with Duncan has changed all that. Now when people smile at us, I smile back, and if Duncan stops to say hello I stop and greet them, too.
I never had a dog before; I got Duncan at the urging of a friend who had probably grown as tired of my 3)bachelor behavior as I had. My long work nights and weekends always ended with a lonely run, a 4)bourbon or two, or a phone call to someone I didn’t really listen to. All I talked about was me and what was wrong with my life. My friends stopped asking me out because I was always either at work or talking about work.
I had dates with women who would mistakenly think I was loyal to them but I never returned their calls or thanked them for the cookies they left on my doorstep. I was what some people would call “a5)dog”—a bad dog. Not one person depended on me, nor I upon them. One Sunday I woke up at noon, and I suddenly noticed how silent both my house and my life were. I realized I couldn’t expect any valued relationship unless I created one first. So I got Duncan.
All of a sudden, where no one had ever depended on me before, he did. It was an extreme 6)detox from selfishness: Let me out. Feed me. Clean up after me. Watch me sleep. I found that I actually liked being relied upon. When I realized that I could meet his needs, I also realized he met mine.
I believe in the nobility of Duncan’s loyalty, and his enthusiasm. Every time I come in the door, he’s waiting to greet me with glee.
Now, when my girlfriend comes over, I get up and run to the door to greet her like I learned to do from my dog.
我信任我的狗。
我崇尚他的生活方式,还努力仿效他的生活方式。我力求像他那样从最简单的事物中获取同等的快乐,像他那样,在每顿餐食面前总满怀感激甚至喜悦之情。我常看着装满食物的食橱,苦于抉择,还怨叹不足,而他则在地板上绕圈,兴奋地期待着他的美餐——其食物、份量、供应时间每天都是一成不变的。
我崇尚他活在当下的这种方式。因为我的日子充满压力、拥挤的通勤路程和无尽的任务限期,我会想到独自呆在家里的邓肯。他的日子大概很闷,但只要我们聚在一起,他就会把烦闷忘掉。
我崇尚他待人平等,不论对方的种族、信仰或外貌如何。他从无成见。在拥有他之前,我认为自己极具“街头智慧”——我会避免与我不认识或不想认识的人有眼神接触。和邓肯一起跑过芝加哥临近的街区改变了那一切。现在,当人们对我们微笑,我会报以微笑。并且,如果邓肯停下来和他人打招呼,我也会停下来打招呼。
我之前从未养过狗。一个朋友大概跟我一样越发厌倦我的单身生活,在他的劝说下,我才养了邓肯。过去,晚上、周末,在漫长的加班后,我多半是一个人孤独地跑步,或是喝上一两瓶波旁威士忌酒,又或是和某人心不在焉地打一通电话。我谈论的无非就是自己及自己生活中的差错烦恼。我不是在忙工作就是在谈工作,就这样,我的朋友不再约我出来了。
我和女人们约会,她们总错误地以为我对其一片忠心,但我从不给她们回电话,或是感谢她们在我门口留下曲奇饼。过去,我是一些人口中所谓的“坏蛋”——坏家伙。没人依赖我,我也不依赖任何人。一个周日,我睡到中午才醒来,我突然注意到,我的房子和我的生活如此安静。我意识到,除非我先去建立一段珍贵的关系,不然我就别指望会获得任何珍贵的关系。于是,我养了邓肯。
突然,之前方方面面从未有什么东西依赖我,而现在他会依赖我。这极大地帮助了我摈弃自私的品性:“带我出门”、“给我吃的”、“替我清理大小便”、“看着我睡觉”。我发现自己其实喜欢被依赖的感觉。当我意识到自己可以满足他的需要时,我也意识到他可以满足我的需要。
我崇尚邓肯忠心耿耿的高尚品格,还有他的满腔热忱。每次我走进家门,他都在开心地等着迎接我。
现在,当我的女友过来我家,我会起身跑到门口去迎接她,这是我从我的狗那学到的。