Dig Holes

A man’s best friend is a dog. This saying appears true for anyone who has ever owned a dog. Dogs live to love you. They also have needs in the same ways humans do. Some breeds of dogs have spent generations following a sense of purpose and without this purpose, these dogs can be lost. Humans are just like these breeds of dogs in this way. Without purpose, we can drift through life lost.

The dogs I am referencing are dogs like Retrievers or German Shepherds. They have their purpose in their names. Retrievers must “retrieve” and German Shepherds must “shepherd” to live the most fulfilled lives. These dogs have a higher sense and need for their life than just lounging around. These dogs have a biological need to be of service. Without feeling like a part of the family, without having a routine, and without feeling needed, these types of dogs will become restless and anxious and will find other ways to spend their energy. One way is by digging holes in a yard. From a human perspective, it is a nasty habit but in reality, the dog is digging holes to find an outlet for the anxiety and stress they feel for being “unneeded” and “unimportant.”

Humans and dogs have extreme similarities in this way. Humans without purpose and a reason for living easily become lost. We can slip through life like a plastic bag in the ocean—moving where the current takes us. Days become weeks which then become years. A lot of times we succumb to vices so we can “feel” something in our lives. Drugs, eating, alcohol, porn, gambling, and many addictions stem from not having a purpose in one’s life. These vices become the “holes” that humans dig in their lives. It is not a dog digging up a garden but it is just as destructive.

In the absence of service, meaning, and routines, humans find themselves on a path destined for self-destruction. Without meaning, humans will dig holes in their lives, just like their pet companions. Find purpose and redirect your digging elsewhere.