At lunch in New York City last week, my editor bragged a bit about her success at getting me more in touch with my inner self when writing. “A bit more emotional,” she said, beaming. This is so. A number of things have contributed to that. My editor, for sure. My divorce. Maria. Losing dogs I love. Life. Meditation. Spirituality. Simon. I see that the power of animals to lift people up, and that is my power too. Sometimes I get distracted and writing about life, meaning, spirituality, and fear, but every now and then I am reminded of why I am here, what the work is really about. “I used to think being cute and emotional was sappy,” I said at lunch. “Now, I see it is my work, the point. Helping people feel good, especially when it comes to animals.”

This morning, I posted a request on my Facebook Page. If my readers would share the lyrics of the songs they sing to dogs, I would share some of mine. I was concerned that some people might feel uncomfortable. Ha!  I was, of course flooded with lyrics right away, many people expressing relief at the realization that everybody does this – and everybody does it. I’ve been singing to Lenore for some years, lately singing to Frieda.  Some amazing and wonderful lyrics that you can check our for yourself. Now this ought to be a book. I am smitten with Bonnie Kilby’s “My Bonnie, you’re a naughty chinchilla,” to the tune of “Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” or Kathy LeBeau’s quite wonderful “You are my Augie, my Augie Doggie, You make me happy, when skies are gray.”

Anne Eddy sang “Buddha Buddha Boo, the Buddha Boo Boo” to the tune of “Strangers In The Night” to her late dog Boo. As promised, I will post the lyrics of the song I’m singing to Frieda these days – to the tune of “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine” by Bob Dylan and there’s another from Willie Nelson I sing to both dogs. You cannot real these lyrics without feeling something of the power of love, the happiness that lives and runs in the world, and the great work animals like dogs are doing to brighten our lives.

I listened when my editor told me to open up, but I did not imagine it would come to this. Jump in.