I was driving on the freeway and I saw a homeless man walking on the side of the road with a dog. Seeing the man with the dog made me happy. I was happy to see he wasn't alone.
I reflected back on my childhood. As a child I thought it was unfair that a dog should be stuck with anyone who was homeless. I assumed that if they couldn't feed themselves, then there was no way they could feed the dog. The dog needed to be with a family, and have a real home. That was the "right" way to bring up an animal.
As I sped past the man walking along the freeway, I reflected on why I had changed so much. Why had the picture of a homeless man and his dog bring me so much joy? Instantly, and without thought, the answer came as a voice into my mind: "You've changed because now you understand what it means to be alone." Loneliness has been my great teacher; a demanding master, but one who has taught me greater empathy and love.
A painful lesson, but one worth learning.
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