REQUIESCAT IN PACE

DID YOU EVER CONTEMPLATE THE RELAXATION TECHNIQUES OF CANIS FAMILIARIS OR FELIS DOMESTICA? BEHIND CLOSED EYES, THEY ENJOY ORGIASTIC CALM. THE ACCEPTED NAMES, DOG AND CAT, ENTERED OUR VOCABULARY FROM OLD ENGLISH, 450-1500 A.D., BUT THEIR RELAXATION TECHNIQUES WERE INFORMED BY EONS OF NATURAL SELECTION. AT REST, SOMETIMES MY DOG'S HEAD DROOPS OR DROPS OFF HER PILLOW. OTHER TIMES, IN QUIET ECSTASY, SHE LIES ON HER BACK, LEGS THRUST UPWARDS IN A FEAT OF CANINE ENGINEERING. SNOOZING, HER OPEN MOUTH ALWAYS CARRIES A SMILE. THOUGH HER EYES ARE CLOSED, SHE MIGHT EMIT A SNORE OR A WHIMPER AS IF DENOTING A DREAM. YET A DOG NAPPING CAN INSTANTLY AWAKEN TO AN UNFAMILIAR SOUND. PREDICTABLE SEQUENCES FILL UP MY SENIOR CITIZEN CAT'S ROUTINE. BREAKFAST, NAP, LUNCH, NAP, SNACK, NAP, DINNER ON SCHEDULE, NAP, THE SOUND OF SCRABBLE TILES FILLING UP THE BAG AT THE END OF HIS SERVANT'S GAME SIGNALING EVENING SNACK, AND, AT LONG LAST, A NIGHT FULL OF SLEEP. SOMETIMES HIS CHIN'S UP AS HE SNOOZES; OTHER TIMES, ITS TUCKED UNDER A PAW. THE STOMACH MAY BE EXPOSED. THE SPINE MIGHT CURL INTO A FETAL POSITION. THOUGH HIS EYES ARE CLOSED HE LOUDLY PURRS. NO REQUEST EVER REACHES ME FOR EITHER MY DOG’S OR CAT’S TIME OUT. THEY REPRESENT A NATURAL COMPULSION. WE CAN LEARN MUCH ABOUT PERSPECTIVE IN LIFE OBSERVING OUR PET’S PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO PEACEFUL YOGA.