Christmas Eve, 2004

On this Christmas Eve, the Wall Street Journal published an evocative opinion piece -- "What Will Your Dog Say Tonight?" -- about the animals talking around a manger on a starry night so long ago. How most of us yearn for a conversation with our pets. And how sublime when a writer names that dream.

"Animals serve purposes beyond the obvious ones," writes the unnamed Journal columnist. "Through their behavior, they help humans decipher their own impulses. . .

"Most significantly, perhaps, the secret life of other creatures inspires and deepens our curiousity about the order of the Cosmos. As symbols, animals let humans communicate feelings and beliefs in a universal language. . .

"Tonight we may wish that household pets will also have a personalized message for their owners. But there is no getting around the fact that the facility for speech on this one evening was God's gift to animals for recognizing the miracle and for nuzzling the special baby to keep him warm. So give pets good things to eat, keep an open heart and hope for glad tidings."

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Thank you for reading, writing, enjoying. And listen to what your dog is telling you.

Posted by Dog Lady at December 24, 2004 05:41 PM