The First Dog

Bo Obama – the First Dog

Itsy and Betti – two of MY First Dogs!

The moment we (at least all dog lovers) have been waiting for has finally arrived – Bo Obama has made his appearance at the White House.

I am so delighted for Sasha and Malia that they have finally got the dog their dad promised them in his acceptance speech on Election Night. I know that this is the beginning of countless hours of joy, of sweet memories that will last a lifetime, of lessons about life and death, of the unconditional, unwavering love that only a dog can bring and of loyalty and friendship.

Readers of my book “Free and Laughing: Spiritual Insights in Everyday Moments” will know how I feel about dogs, through two chapters “If I Had Only” and “Love as a Dog”. Dogs have occupied my life from birth. My father was an avid dog lover, so we always had dogs. For my sister and I, our love of and for dogs has not diminished over time – I believe it has become even stronger and more compelling. I currently have five dogs and Carole has three. We love them dearly. They are family and friends, all wrapped up in bundles of furry, bounding unconditional love and companionship. As I write this, I have to be careful how I get up from my seat, as two of them are curled around the chair. The moment I move, their eyes will fly open, their ears perk up and they will be poised to follow me wherever I trod.

Dogs are the ultimate in free and laughing living! They live in the moment, and are present to everything around them. They harbour no (or few) grudges. They observe everything around them, with their ultra-keen sense of hearing picking up things that human ears cannot. They are sensitive to our moods, knowing exactly what to do to move us from sad to happy. They release everything and accept us for who and what we are. And they are the epitome of trust and love.

I wish for Bo, Sasha and Malia many years of play and love. Their lives will never be the same. He is their First Dog. Betti, Itsy, Cloud, Daisy and Mufasa are mine. They are my playmates, friends, companions, security guards, comfort givers, heart keepers. I hope Bo will be these and more for them. Long live man’s friendship with dogs!