Don’t tell anybody, but sometimes I get lonely. Not really a lot but like sometimes when Todd and Gus for a long walk on a cold Sunday night after dinner and accidentally forget me.

Actually, sometimes, it’s not exactly accidental. Know how I know? Because sometimes I slip out the gate and trot down the long winding driveway after them. And then, I don’t know how he knows to look back, but Todd turns around and sees me running along the sidewalk to catch up, and then he walks back toward me and scoops me up in his strong, loving arms and carries me back to the house.

In those moments, I’m so in love with him that I don’t even think about the fact that we’re walking in the wrong direction. And he softly tells me that it’s not safe for me to walk by the road without a leash. He says it’s like being in a boat without a life jacket. And I just love him so much. But then he sets me down gently inside the house and goes off again with Gus. I don’t know why. And it makes me so sad.

Jane says it’s because of my heart. She says I can’t really go on walks anymore, but that doesn’t make any sense. Because doesn’t she know we walk on our legs? And plus, I know my heart is fine because doesn’t she know how much I love Gus and Todd and going for walks on blustery nights when it feels like it might snow? It can’t be because of my heart. She’s so silly.

But it might be because of my legs. I can’t walk as fast or as far as they can. And I like to smell EVERYTHING which tends to slow things down considerably but isn’t that the true purpose of the walk? Yes, obviously. So, I don’t get it. But still. Even still. I miss them. And I lie by the door and just wait and wait and wait and wait and wait for them to come home. And it feels like they are gone forever.

But then they come back, and I’m happy again.

But anyway, I think that’s what loneliness is. I think loneliness is another word for waiting. Waiting for the ones you love to come home. Like waiting for a bird to fly across a cloudless sky on a very still day. Or for someone you haven’t even met yet to come along and take you for a really long, wonderful walk in a park with lots of flowers and scents and people and dogs. Lots and lots of dogs. And people. And snacks. And stuff.

If you ever feel lonely, just go for a walk and I bet you’ll feel better. Because even though walking has nothing to do with your heart, it still makes your heart happy. Especially if there are flowers and scents and snacks and stuff.