They say that nature has much to teach us, and that the simplicity of the laws of nature give the complexities of life some kind of roadmap for understanding how things work. But then people say a lot of things, and not all of them make sense, or are not as easy to understand or work out as it would seem. I mean lets be honest there are some pretty complicated emotions and feelings associated with something like a relationship that nature hasn't got a clue about right?

Hmmmmm, lets consider one of the most fundamental relationships that exist between mankind and nature.

Man's best friend. The simplicity of the relationship between a person and their dog could in someways be used to give us some useful lessons about the dynamic of a successful relationship. Madness you think? Well allow me to get you to think a little...

Think not about the dynamic from a human perspective. Try if you can for a moment to put yourself in the dog's shoes/paws.

Love given unconditionally. Loyalty. Care and compassion. Forgiveness. Joy. Peacefulness. Dedication.

Just a few words that you would have to consider in life as a dog. Yeah, if you think about it, as long as a dog gets a little attention, fed on a regular basis, loved and walked, it matters not what kind of life they lead, they are always faithful and diligent to their master, right to the end.

They never hold a grudge. Never worry about anniversaries, birthdays, being early or late. They forgive endless mistakes. They can be forgotten outside in the cold, left to wait in a boiling hot car, be scared witless by our fascination with fireworks, yet will always jump and and give endless love unconditionally when we pay them the attention they crave.

They are fiercely protective of our safety, jealous guards of our time and space, love to be near us, wait patiently for our return, and celebrate our return passionately. They love to see us smile, listen to our woes without judging or making comment. They give comfort and kisses, even when we don't really want them.

They make us laugh, and make us frown. Even when we get mad at them, they never hold it against us, and when we may be harsh, or lash out unexpectedly, they are quick to put it behind them and move on. They are cautious of strangers and welcome friends.

Now for heavens sakes I am not suggesting we all go out and start dating our canine pets. That would be just a little outrageous!

However, I am suggesting that there are a few things that dogs do that we could learn from in our quest to build strong and long lasting relationships.

Right, so give consideration for a moment to what makes a good relationship. A good friendship. Loyalty, dedication, compassion, trust, diligence, patience, forgiveness....

See a pattern beginning to form?

Maybe the reality is that much as the fantastic ability of a dog to love its owner unconditionally regardless of its circumstances is the starting blocks of what true love really is. That magical word unconditional is something we talk about a lot in life. It is something that is elusive and difficult to achieve as we are by nature selfish beings. We are out to get as much as we can for ourselves as fast as we can for as long as we can. So this unconditional malarky is a complete reverse of our predominant characteristic as a person.

If we aspire to be a little less caught up in our selfish worlds of me me me, maybe we could learn to be better people. Better partners, better friends, better lovers. Take the time to try understand, be more compassionate, more forgiving, a little more willing to listen and not judge, more willing to stand at the shoulder of our loved ones, even if we may not agree with their decisions or choices.

If we could just learn to be more attentive, more patient, more willing to have fun, be excited about the simplest things like spending time in one another's company, regardless of where, when or why, maybe if we could just take time to appreciate that we are not alone, not forgotten, not ignored, we could feel more appreciative of all we have.

I mean how hard can it be? Well take it from me, not easy. Heck to get it right is bloody tough, and while nature may show a lot of simplicity in its lessons, this is not a simple life, and it is never easy to change our ways or alter our characteristics to being less human in a way. But in the long run it can almost make life worth living. It could bring an extra level of something special to our relationships and emotional well being. Isn't that something worth trying?

I don't know, but I do know this...

We are not perfect, I have said it so many times before, and as I look around me in my daily life, there is so much to learn, so many places to draw ideas, lessons and new insight from, that maybe this is how we learn to become better people. Maybe this is how we are meant to learn... What do you think?

Thought for today - "Try not to become a man of success but a man of value" - Albert Einstein

Song for today - Some Nights by Fun.