I count my time in dog years
Swimming in sevens, slow dancing in seconds
Oh, and I’m the one that loves you
Oh, and I’m the one that loves you

I spend my time daydreaming
And sure as the sea
It’s just you and me
Oh, and I’m the one that loves you
Oh, and I’m the one that loves you

And if you had a bad week
Just let me touch your cheek
Oh, and I’ll be there waiting
When you get frustrated
I know things are changing
But, darling, I’m saying
I’ll be singing you in all of my songs

Come what may
I’ll still stay inside your mind
For all of time
Singing, ooh
We will be alright in the afterlife

Of all that is shifting and shaking my system
I know your rhythm
And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
That I’m the one that loves you
Oh, and I’m the one that loves you

Sometimes these posts just click. I’ve listened to this song a billion times, but today I heard it different because today I was thinking about dog years. Two years ago Presley got diagnosed with cancer, to the day. As if the first Christmas alone couldn’t be worse the day after I find out my dog has 8 weeks to live. I think I’ve always counted time in dog years, and I think we all should. Hear me out.

They say that for every year of a human’s life it’s like 7 years for a dog. Take that into a smaller thing and a dog lives a week every day. It’s why you can leave your house for 5 minutes and when you get back your dog is excited, in your dogs mind you’ve been gone for 35 minutes, and they’re happy you’re back. I think what’s really special about that, which humans don’t realize, is that dogs understand you may not be coming back. As humans every day we leave the house, go to work, go to the gym, go to the grocery store, fucking wherever. We leave assuming we’ll be back later. Who told you that though? Who says you’ll make it home? This thing doesn’t go on forever, at some point the clock runs out, but I’m not saying that to be negative. I’m saying it to say, be more like a fucking dog.

Lay in the sun, wag your tail when you’re excited. Lose your shit when you see the people you love. Be here for now because dogs don’t spend time thinking the future, to them there’s just now. I will say dogs know when it’s over, I saw it in Presleys eyes the day I took her to be put to sleep. You could see in her eyes she knew it was our last day together.

I just walked downstairs and my sisters youngest dog billie got up and started wagging her tail and shaking her butt uncontrollably because she was happy to see me. I teared up because Presley used to do the same thing, and not only is it nice to be seen, it feels good to be loved.

There’s this theory I’ve seen on the internet, or a quote at least, that was said by a young kid whose dog died. When his parents went to explain it to him he said he understood why dogs didn’t live as long as humans. I believe the exact quote was “people are born so that they learn to live a good life – like loving everyone all the time and being nice, right?” “Well dogs already know how to do that so they don’t have to stay as long.”

Who knew the wisdom of a fucking 4 year old would make me cry. I’m going to start counting my time in dog years, live a good life, love everyone, and be nice. The dog I had did all those things. She laid in the sun and she chased squirrels, and she chased the chickens I had, but any time she caught another animal she never hurt it, she was just curious. She was all bark no bite. She was a kind and gentle soul, and I like to think she taught me to be the same. Some days I hate feeling sad about it two years later but, as I sit here with tears running down my face I can’t help but giggle. I’m sad she’s gone but I’m so happy she was ever even here.

And if you had a bad week
Let me sing you to sleep
Oh, and I’ll be there waiting
If you start to get jaded
I know things are changing
But, darling, I’m saying
I’ve been here all along

DFM,

J.