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| Lola and her best little buddy Junebug. Photo by Amy Gretchen. |
Lola is my brother-in-law's seventy-five pound Old English Bulldog. She is meaty and thick and built like a Mack truck and she has a heart of pure gold. She is a masterful example of living a contented life.
Sure, she is a dog and is not encumbered by the trappings and responsibilities of human life. But that said, we could definitely benefit from mimicking how Lola lives.
Lola—and most dogs for that matter—are simple creatures with simple needs. Her basic wants are a full belly, a soft place to sleep, and a warm body to sit next to. That's it. And maybe the occasional bird to chase.
So what can we learn from Lola?
Like most dogs, Lola typically eat the same thing day after day. Simple food and water to drink. The occasional treat or table scrap is icing on the cake.
Lola loves to curl up in her dog bed or on the couch. And if neither is available, she is content with the floor. As long as it is dry and warm, she'll make it work.
But my favorite thing about Lola is she just wants to be near you. She is perfectly content with proximity. Sure, some ear scratching is a plus—I mean really, who doesn't love that—but just being close is sufficient for her.
We humans could learn a lot from Lola, to appreciate more the simple things in life.
Beyond a basic dry, warm place to sleep, we don't need a ton of housing. A beautiful home is wonderful, but what we have is probably more than enough.
Beyond simple, sustainable sustenance, we don't need an endless stream of culinary pleasures. Great food is wonderful, but what we have is probably more than enough.
Beyond loyal companionship, we don't need a posse of followers and fans. More relationships can be wonderful, but what we have is probably more than enough.
This world, particularly western civilization, encourages the constant acquisition of more. More this, more that. More everything.
However, more is not always better.
I am not discounting the pursuit of lofty goals or big dreams. Striving to be better is what makes humans human.
But sometimes the happiest path can be found in living like a dog.
