If you have a dog, you’ll understand where I come from. Some cat lovers get the same message, but not like a dog. I guess any pet you’re close to would be the same. If you’re not a pet lover, bear with me, you might still get the message.

She’s a 13-year-old Papillion named Cricket. Papillion is not a common breed, but she doesn’t know it. She’s smart, easy to care for, and adorable. She has enormous ears and looks somewhat like a small Collie. Alright, enough about what she looks like. The point is what she’s taught me over the years.

Like most in Recovery, Cricket needs lots of emotional support. In some programs, she would be seen as needy. Whenever I look behind me, there she is. I’ll give her a pat on the head, and she’s satisfied for a while. Do you know people are like that? Most AAs I know require attention, especially early in recovery, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Another cool thing about my dog is she doesn’t need a cell phone to call her mother or friends to chat. She has no credit cards, although when we go to PetSmart, she has no problem using mine. She has no driver’s license either. Of course, that would be silly as she couldn’t reach the peddles. However, she does love to pretend she’s driving when her head is out the window in the wind. It doesn’t matter if its winter or summer, in the wind is where she’s happy. When I drove a motorcycle, I experienced what she loves to do.

She hasn’t a clue if there’s any food in the cupboards or when we might get some. When Mosses was in the desert, God told him not to save food as it would be provided. Somehow, Cricket knows that. She does have health insurance, and it’s a lot cheaper than mine. Her simple life screams, One Day at a Time. Why can’t I live my life like her?

The simple truth is I can if I trust that God will not give me any more than I can handle for today.  Looking back over the years of trusting God, I never was hungry or didn’t have a roof over my head. All the debt I’ve accumulated has been paid. All I had to do was trust. Cricket believes, so why is it that I forget and suffer needlessly? All I have to do is look behind me; all my answers are in these eleven pounds of fur.

God bless man’s best friend.