In the poem, “Hug O’ War” by Shel Silverstein he writes,
I will not play at tug o’ war.
I’d rather play at hug o’ war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins
(Shel Silverstein. “Hug O’ War.” Family Friend Poems, https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/hug-o-war-by-shel-silverstein)
I recently joined a list service called, ‘Spirituality and Practice’ and the passage for the very first post I received talked about this popular public dog park. The common area the dogs played in was built like a giant cereal bowl and the dogs were able to play contentedly off leash ‘in the bowl’. It was a regular hangout for many and the owners could sit on the edge and watch their fur babies play for as long as they wanted to with all of the best friends in joyful abandon. A quick whistle or call would bring them back up to the edge for a lovely walk home.
One day the owner noticed his dog wandering off with another fur friend at the far edge of the area distracted by a new adventure – and when he called he realized he was out of earshot. He yelled louder for his baby to come but the animal was excited about following his friend out at the other end. Desperately now he started running to catch up when he noticed from all around the park ALL of the owners started calling for HIS dog. With their joined voices this sweet fur baby soon realized he was too far from where he needed to be and joyfully turned around to meet his owner in the middle of the dog bowl.
Interdependence can be such a beautiful thing.
~Lydia Patrick
