A Dog's Life

National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" featured a memorable program about parasites. Toxoplasmosis, a parasite in cat feces, was discussed in detail. Apparently, rats and mice ingest the toxoplasmosis, which travels into the rodents' brains. As a consequence of the parasite, the smell of cat becomes attractive to the smaller critters. Since the infected mice and rats are drawn to cats, they become easy prey. Anyone who has had a cat knows the rest of the story. The radio program I listened to surmised that perhaps toxoplasmosis has a similar effect on people who live with cats. It is often said that the cat owns the human, and not the other way around.

I wonder if there is a similar substance in dogs. Before I had a dog, I had little interest in these creatures. Now, I notice dogs constantly. This morning I heard a brief discussion about the death of Target, a former stray who, along with several other dogs, thwarted a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. Target was accidentally euthanized. Honestly, I got a little choked up as I heard the story recounted.

Target and the other dogs who were with him in Afghanistan demonstrated the quality of altruism - unselfish concern for others' welfare. How remarkable that such a lofty emotion can be demonstrated by a simple dog. How pathetic that the dogs were morally superior than most humans.

Has my little dog affected some chemical change in my brain that makes me partial to other dogs? Or have I been moved by a truly remarkable story involving purity of spirit? In any event, there is a lesson here for all of us humans, dog and cat lovers alike. Would that we all could demonstrate gratitude for the simple things that others do for us. Would that we could all be sufficiently brave to protect and defend our pack.

The Circle of Life

Today is my birthday. The first week in this new year of my life is filled with practically every life-cycle event imaginable. A friend called to let me know her son and daughter-in-law had a new baby boy this week and asked me to join them at the bris. In a short while, I will head to the local Jewish Center to help celebrate a bat mitzvah. Tomorrow, there is a funeral for a friend's mother died yesterday after a very long illness. On this day, I feel like I am in the middle of a whirlpool, surrounded and embraced by all of these events.

Yesterday, I called our family's favorite special occasion restaurant to make a reservation. The maitre d' knows my family and we caught up on the news of pending marriages of the then children, now young adults. We spoke about the perspective we have up here on this mountain of the aged. It is frightening, kind of like peering over a cliff.

Though I am definitely more vibrant and active than my parents were at my age, I wonder if my children, nieces and nephews think of me as an ancient. In some ways, I think they don't. On the other hand, it would be nice to be accorded the respect of a venerable elder.