Perceiving Purpose Quotes

“Cody passed away on May 19, 2016 after a long illness which he endured with such stoic pride and selflessness, it forced me to put all of my petty concerns into perspective. It was the hardest day of my life, and I still can't talk about him without choking up, so forgive me for not talking about him more -- the emptiness of his dog bed, which is now home to one our elderly cats, is a harsh reminder of the cruelest part of life -- losing someone you love. I can't fathom the pain that others endure in their own lives with the horrible things that go on in this world, but I can tell you that I have a lot more empathy as a result of knowing what it feels like to have a part of you torn out, leaving a hole that you know can't be filled, and shouldn't. Some things can't be healed -- and we shouldn't pretend that we can. You need to know pain in order to experience joy, and that little Basset Hound surely gave me lessons in both.”
― Sanjay Gupta, Perceiving Purpose

“FIRST realized that my dog knew more about life than I did after I observed him snoozing in his bed by the fire during the holidays. No matter what kind of chaos might erupt around the house, no matter what demands a child or a spouse might have, no matter what was going on with work, the world, or the furnace, there was a contentment to just “being there”, warm, and near his family, that was undeniable. If that dog could know peace amidst all this chaos, why couldn’t the rest of us? Chaos, I learned, is as much a physical reality that we can do nothing about, as well as an emotional response. The dog chooses to not respond. Amazing.”
― Sanjay Gupta, Perceiving Purpose: Transformation from Self-Examination