There is hound dog that I see every morning on my way to class. His floppy ears and droopy eyes give him the appearance of a sad, lonely dog. He sits in the same spot, at the same time of day, and watches all the traffic that passes by him. And he always sits. He never lays down, as though if he did, he might miss something. He stays close enough to the road to get a good view of everything and everyone, but he stays on the side of the ditch that keeps him safe, protected. I used to think that he was a lonely dog, desperately waiting for someone to pat his head, give him a treat, pay attention to him. I used to feel sorry for this poor hound that seemed to always be looking for that smiling stranger that would ignore the red collar declaring him "owned", and take him home to make him a member of the family. Because that's really all everyone wants, is a family. Unconditional love that can look past the occasional accident on the floor, hair all over the furniture, and slobber on the face. That poor hound wanted to greet someone at the door when they came home, to wag his tail with excitement and turn that pitiful droopy face into something that a friend would consider cute enough to hug. Poor hound.
But then one day, I realized that as I drove by, he did not watch me pass with yearning, he watched me pass with interest. He did not sit and watch the cars go by in hope, but with curiosity. That droopy face was content. He was proud to wear that red collar. It was a sign of someone's love, adoration, and unconditional devotion. He was a happy hound, and he maintained his position on the other side of the ditch as a means of declaration to his home. He had someplace to belong, and a family to wag his tail for. While I'm sure he would absolutely love some treats, he did not seek out a place other than where he already was.
Every day I pass by the same hound dog on the side of the road on my way to class. His droopy eyes and floppy ears turning to follow the passing of every car and every runner as they go about their day. I find that I look forward to seeing that hound, and search him out every morning. He makes me smile, and he makes my day just a little bit brighter.
