Freyja at home. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
I am Freyja. And I am brave. I am the bravest dog I know. I dare you to say otherwise.
Like the Norse god I am named after, I am both fertility and death. Love and war. Peace and conflict. I have no home other than the arms of the men I protect.
I am fertility. I have given birth. Again. But my pups are gone. Gone to be brave like me. To protect the men we love. I gladly give them up. I feel tired. I feel drained. And I need to be strong again. The time of fertility is past. The time of war is upon us.
The streets are hard. I hear the men talk. I hear them talk of past fights. I see the scars of their battles. The war is always near. And I must be ready. Though I am tired. I watch. Though I sleep, I am never far from wakefulness. For I must be ready.
I am war. Something is there. I do not understand it. I know only that it may mean danger. I bark. I bark my warning, but the man soothes me. Now is not the time of war. But I am ready. Now I am gentle. But I can be fierce. I will be fierce for the man. I will protect him. I will lay down what I have for him.
Skinner does not yet know. Skinner is young. He has seen too few winters and two few battles. He does not know what it takes to be a true warrior. But he has a good soul. He is a good companion. He is strong and young. He is still playful. He does not understand. We have responsibility. We must be strong. We must be vigilant. We must be brave.
I lay down. I miss my pups. I wish they were here with me. My teats are swollen and ache. I wish my pups were here. But there is no time for missing. There is only time to recover. The time of fertility is past. The time of war is upon us once more.
I am Freyja. And I am brave. I am the bravest dog I know. I dare you to say otherwise.
Skinner yawns. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Freyja at the ready. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Now is the time for sleeping. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Freyja and her man. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Robert Knorpp is host of The BeanCast Marketing Podcast at thebeancast.com and is President of The Cool Beans Group, a marketing strategy consultancy based in New York City. He likes laughing even more than breathing. You can follow the madness on Twitter at twitter.com/BobKnorpp.
