I got this funny link from daughter Lucy with the promise that our cherished pup, Roxy, would be able to do this by Thanksgiving:

I sent it around to a few close friends, including my brilliant friend comedian Emily Levine. She responded with this comment: “That is so hilarious. But seriously, Sunny, what does it say about the universe that my TED talk gets 30,000 hits on YouTube and this gets over 7 million? Maybe I should start practicing along with Roxy!”

I got to thinking… Why do we love this “talking dog” so much? Our relationships with our pets are so uncomplicated and clean. The terms are set by us. They are unconditional , they are totally devoted, they are so clear and…satisfying.

It isn’t a big leap to see that any human behavior I see in Roxy is not only amusing but also makes our relationship seem potentially human. That is of interest. If we can anthropomorphize our animals (and who doesn’t?), then we can justify our total love and devotion to these creatures. And we can imagine them as a baseline for our other relationships: clean, uncomplicated companionship and devotion—oh, so pleased to see me no matter what mood I am in….

When my kids suggest that I love Roxy the most, they are not right…really. But maybe I do love the nature of our relationship the most.

Today I heard from someone I hadn’t even thought of in 25 years. A casual acquaintance from early days in NYC. He just sent a nice note on Facebook. It hit me.

These little gifts are like the first time I got an answering machine. I would come home, hit the playback button, and listen. At least once a week or so, I would get a message that would delight me…a call from a long-forgotten pal, a love bomb, an apology from someone starting their 12-step program. Little gifts that would otherwise not be heard.

I love these tools that connect all these loose bits. They make me smile.