The meaning of life

My neighbour's dog died last week. It was huge, black dog of humongous size and possessing a deep growl and bark. I believe it must be a sort of mastiff or something close. Anyway, it died. Can't remember its exact age but definitely more than 12 years old when it died. The normal, average lifespan of a dog.

It came into my neighbour's family when only a pup and I was told that its name was Boy. Well, a very common name. Boy. But it was good enough. So we also called the pup Boy. He would run to the wall that separates our houses and wag its tail whenever I called him. He would allow me to pet him and ruffle him around the ears. And he would gobble up any tidbit that I threw over to him. Boy grew and grew until one day, my neighbour moved him to a fenced-up garden in his compound. And there he remained until his last days.

I was a little sad when I heard the news several days after the dog had died. Boy never got to know actual freedom because he was confined to the small garden in his owner's compound. He only roamed there - thankfully without a leash - and was never allowed out into the house porch.

Of course, he was never allowed out of the house too, not even on a leash. His owner never took him for walks. He never got to know other dogs. Never got to smell another dog's posterior, never had the opportunity to spread his genes around to other dogs. Come to think of it, I had never even heard of my neighbour or his children play with their dog.

Boy must have led a very lonely life. Comfortable life no doubt, but very lonely indeed. Makes me think, what is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of a dog's life?