This mountainous area has many stray dogs. In the past, dogs were very deprived and hated in the eyes of the people.
But these days, with the promotion of a culture of kindness to animals on social media, many have changed their minds about these faithful and wonderful animals.
However, there are still people who consider them impure. And even touching a dog is considered “Najes”= impure! (Yes! Muslims consider dogs impure and believe even if a dog touches them or their clothes they become contaminated & dirty!)
Today, many have abandoned these thoughts of one thousand four hundred years ago. Some even keep dogs as pets, although it's forbidden in Iran and in many places frown upon!
The eyes of this beautiful and kind-hearted animal are always worried. I was thinking to myself that we all finally have bitter memories in childhood that determine our future and the path we choose to take.
One day, a cyclist friend was avoiding a dog and said: “This is impure!”
I asked: “Why do you hate dogs and don't want to touch dogs?”
"When I was a child, I once touched a dog and my mother beat me in front of everyone," he said: “Then she dragged me to a stream of the river, shoved my head under the cold water, and washed my whole body to get rid of the dog's impurity! I hated dogs ever since!”
I smirked: “Well! Sorry! If it was me, I would've hated my mother instead!”
I thought: “It wasn’t the dog’s fault that your mother was a sick psycho!”
Then I shared a memory of mine:
“When I was a young girl, I used to go to a women's park every morning to exercise. Because in our city, girls only had the right to run freely in that confined park.
The back gate of the park had a hole and dogs used it to sneak in. This ordinary white female dog was entering the park every day and become my friend. We used to run together in the morning. I had named her Hapu (an intimate term for a dog in Persian).
She was running after me and it was a joyous time. I would bring her food and we would play together. Women were shocked to see me do this, they kept their distance from me, but I didn’t care. This beautiful dog, loyal and energetic, made me come to the park every morning and we were good friends …
I still have not forgotten after all this time, women complained and the park officials drove all the dogs out of the park forever, I didn’t set foot in that park anymore. I was so angry and heartbroken.
I never saw that white dog anymore. I cried my eyes out! my family didn't understand the reason for my pain and said that I had created a catastrophe out of the absence of a stray dog. Later my father said that he saw my dog around, I believed him back then but now I think he only lied to make me feel better.
In that ruthless land, I had created my sweet world in a glass bubble and it shattered with a mere stone…
Still, I have not forgotten that friend, every dog I see is a reminder.
