A tall order...

...for the deity in charge of reincarnation.

I would like to come back as a dog in my next life. Not that I believe in a next life or an after life but I have my share of moments when I find it hard to imagine that this life is all there is; that it's all we get. If it is all we get, it would only make sense to spend zero amount of time worrying or getting upset. Like now. My basement has had its windows open all day, getting infused with the freshest of fresh air. I just had to close it because the neighbor has fired up his oil burning gas lawn mower. I don't know why that irritates me, but it does. I'm chanting...one life, one life...all I get is one life.

Back to being a dog. I don't want to come back as one of those pitiful feral dogs all over the world that have to eek out a living roaming the garbage dumps. A proper, pampered pet dog is what I want to come back as. Not one that sits on laps and gets fat and lazy and takes over the household but one that goes along on camping trips, daily runs or one that works on a farm herding sheep and maybe even one that visits old people in homes to cheer them up: you know, a cool dog.

Except for the nursing home visits and the herding, my dog did most of that in her youth. It has now become clear that she did not receive the memo; the one about her having only two more months to live. Despite her grim prognosis, she is eating heartily (the new broccoli/carrot mash side dish is a huge hit) walking well, and has her puppy-like moments. It's a mystery to me why the small patch of lawn out front would have such an effect on her: she falls over like a limp rag and starts writhing, snorting, sneezing and rolling around. So happy, so giddy, it gives me a big lump in my throat.

It wouldn't be so bad coming back as a cat either...but not one of those thin alley cats that have to...