A Dog Tale

During a recent early morning dog walk, a man’s yelling suddenly caught my attention. Watching, from the other side of the street, I saw his dog eagerly jolt from his grasp and run headlong into the surrounding woods. This dog had a mission about her, furiously running and narrowly missing the approaching street traffic. Although it seemed the dog had a loving care-taker, she had another plan on her mind and set to her own direction, leash still in tow dragging behind her. Seeing the owner sadly emerge from the forest, I agreed to help and set off to search with my own dog. It was not long into the search that the dog emerged, leash still firmly attached, looking bewildered. Most likely it was the calm and welcoming presence of my own dog that attracted her to come closer and permit me to take hold of her leash. Now, two dogs in company, my own still calm and happy, the other repeatedly seeking her own way, I began to return to the location where the runaway escaped.

It may be a fascinating non sequitur to note that I have been afraid of dogs for quite some time. This fear stems from a few incidences in my youth where wild dogs had been witnessed scavenging and confronting children. To this day, I remember my mom’s words of warning before leaving for school, “if you encounter any lone dogs, put your lunch on the ground, quietly leave it be, and walk backward slowly in the other direction.” Consequently, as I grew older, even though I had a strong love for animals, some dogs still incited wariness within me. In time I considered this fear subsided, as I had recently acquired my own dog who cajoled me from the shelter of my own fears. In fact, when I found her through the local animal shelter, it was obvious that she decided to rescue me.

So where was I in this story? Two dogs in company we continue our walk back. The runaway continues to pull and resist. It seems she is willingly representing to me my own fury for a wayward self-will. Yet, my own dog trots along happily. Perhaps she could be an ambassador of trust. Personally, I feel myself transforming from dog-wary to the role of ‘doggy whisperer’. Then startling me, two huge stone-muscled black Labs bound from around an unseen location and block our way. Their teeth are bared as they bark angrily. Neither dog wore any identification. As they challengingly approached, I felt every childhood warning flash before my consciousness. However, this time, I had no brown bag lunch to sacrifice in my stead. Slowly, I took a few steps backwards, but fell. Lying on the ground, feeling the palpable fear, I tried to tune myself out from the imminent sounds of ferocious barking ahead of me. I also struggled not to pay attention to the fact that my arm was still being pulled to the left, as the dog of self-will still sought her own way to run off. Yet, what did draw my attention was the fact that my own dog peacefully and steadfastly stood still to my right. She had continued to have her ‘normal’ look of defenselessness and love. Calmly she stood by my side and held her ground. Time appeared to stop, even though my heart beat miles per minute.

With a sense of awe-inspiring realization, I saw my choices play out before me. Clearly, although this scene appeared to be happening on the level of the world, each dog represented one behavior and perception from my own life experience. This incident was nothing more than a metaphor for my own freedom to decide. A Course in Miracles states, “The power of decision is your one remaining freedom as a prisoner of this world.” And so amidst the fury and confusion, the power of decision was my own. I could rage with the wild dogs of fear snarling ahead of me, or I could react to the pulling of the self-will seeking to lead me in its own confused direction. However, there was a better way. I could remain still and peaceful with my own dog. In this stillness, the affirmation of unyielding serenity would be strong by my side. Here, through my choice for welcoming Holy Spirit’s peace, the very strength of God Himself became my foundation. Watching the scene blur before my eyes, the choices asked me my decision. Although the seconds appeared to seep by as molasses in a jar, and the fear did seem very present and justified, stillness stood strong and welcoming. Realizing this Truth, my own desire to accept God’s Will and strength came to light.

I watched my own dog continue to stand firm in trust and confidence, yielding to her guidance as a model for Holy Spirit’s own. Yes, the Light of Truth has made clear a valuable lesson today: as I choose to affirm the Strength of God, even as the images of fear and confusion proceed, my own Truth never wavers. Surely, there will always appear to be opportunities for madness, confused self-will or raging fear, but none of these scenarios represent my Truth and do not deserve even a moment of my own consideration. Indeed in God’s Strength my safety does eternally dwell. In yielding to Holy Spirit’s guidance, His Strength shows me exactly what I need do in every moment and without hesitation, it will never yield to fear or madness. This truly is my witness for the call to live from within. As we choose to trust, love and peacefully allow without our own resistance or fear, we rest in the dogged knowing arms of God Himself. Here we are always safe as God Created.

Within minutes a few neighbors appeared from their homes, one calling the name of the dog of self-will (Lucy) and another waving his arms and shouting to chase the larger dogs off down the street. Seeing the scene subside, I gratefully thanked them both and walked on with my dog, she still happy and confident as ever. However, with a greater awareness, I watched her. Truly, now more then ever, I came to appreciate exactly from where that ever-present happiness and trust arose. I saw that she had been my teacher that day in remembrance of Holy Spirit’s knowing. She comfortably knew and accepted all that I had been seeking to apply for years. The saying is true, that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I guess I just wasn’t expecting my teacher to be a dog. Funny thing how dog is God spelled backwards. And so it was here, with God, that I chose to join.