I have asked him several times, “What if I didn’t have you by my side as my best friend?” And the answer that I get always is a lick on my face and a wagging tail. How beautiful it is, that certainly melts my heart away. I am talking about my dog, a friend in disguise. Let me ask ,”How many of you are blessed to have one?” You might be one of them and if not then you’ll surely be the next in the line.
Fellow Toastmasters and guests,
I remember myself as a small kid crazy about animals. So it was nearly impossible for me to be lured by a fluffy fur and the brand of loyalty that they possess. There is a very fine line drawn between the similarities that they share with humans. In fact they are alike with a well-developed brain because when dogs come in physical contact with their owners, their brain tends to release the pleasure chemical called dopamine which is the same as the human brain does when they feel relaxed and happy at the same time and a well pumping heart that pumps love, joy, jealousy, anger unlike hatred that human heart does.
It has become like a cliché nowadays that dogs are meant to safeguard human homes but there is a deeper meaning to their existence, the depth that we should all try to understand. It is the only animal that is ready to sleep on the ground and make you feel like a prince or a princess. No matter wherever you put them, they are ready to take it whether it is a cold surface, a torn mattress, a tiny cell or a kennel that becomes their home for an entire life or under the scorching sun. No matter what they will tolerate it all.
On top of that we should love them because whenever we feel deserted or feel that everyone has left us alone, there is a snuggle partner who will always make you feel better but only if you have a dog— a friend in disguise. They love to snuggle, they love to put their head on your lap and they let you know no matter what they love you and they always will. No matter how prosperous you are or how poor have become, he will kiss your hand even if it had no food to offer.
To love them would be a simple act of humanity, because the love that we get in return is something that is unconditional and eternal. So, let’s love them in return for the love we receive because love begins by taking care of our close ones, the one that I have, the one that you have or the ones that you could have. They are the animals who expect affection from their owners and a simple smile is just what it takes to respond to a wagging tail.
So, today after you reach home, get your dog out of the kennel, gaze into its eyes, talk with it for a while, grab its paws and cuddle with it just for a second, you will realize no matter how foolishly your day might have gone and how disappointed you have become. Your dog will have this look on his face that says “Oh my God!! You’re right. I would have never thought that way”. And I firmly believe when most of us tend to talk our dogs, we forget that they aren’t humans. Trust me after sharing all your woes of your entire day when your pet licks your face even if you had left him alone all day. It’s something that counts. He is trying to say, “Thank you for coming home, I’m so relieved to see your face.” I also strongly agree until one has loved an animal, a part of his soul remains unawaken. So awaken your soul, don’t be greedy to share a cookie with this precious animal who loves you more than he loves himself. Have you done enough? Ask yourself each one of you —- Have I done enough to keep my best friend happy? Because the prime purpose of human life is to help others, and if you cannot help these voiceless creatures then PLEASE do not hurt them.
Thus, be kind enough to this friend who thinks that you are a world to him. Look after its growth. Help him get rid of his pain. Feed him well which is the real hunger but deep inside he is hungry for love, YOUR LOVE. Be generous enough to bring someone in your life who you think will never leave you alone. Go for a walk once in a while; spend time with them because he won’t survive as long as we do. Be ready to move a step forward towards humanity, being born as humans —- the superior of all. Think as if they are your own siblings or own children and do not hesitate to share the same space. That is the sign of a true human.
Back to you Toastmaster
