The Miserable Emptiness and The Dog

Once upon a time, there was a knight who was feeling down on his luck. He didn't have a really great reason for feeling like he did.

When he tried to work during the day, instead of the razor-like focus of previous years, he felt like his chest and heart was being squeezed by a giant, clawed hand. Instead of feeling enthusiasm for his work, he felt a pit in his stomach that could not be filled up, and his legs filled with lead, and he felt like he was sinking into the earth, being swallowed up, unable to be filled.

This was for no reason. He was miserable for no reason.

One day, he asked his dog what was the matter with him. The dog stared at him, didn't know what to say, and then rested his head on his owner's lap. The dog knew that he may not have all the answers, but that this simple act was often enough to improve things quite a bit.

That day, it did.

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Copyright Nathan Schuetz, 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this may be used to train an ai