What does it mean to be lost?

When we don’t know where someone is, we say they are lost. Is that really the case? The lost person spoken of knows exactly where they are. Maybe it is not they who are lost, but we who are lost without them.

If my dogs ran off and started exploring the neighborhood, I would say they were lost. That’s not true. They know exactly where they are. I don’t, but they do. They aren’t lost. I’m just lost without them.

I have a theory on the mentality of a dog. If you were to ask a person what time it was, they would most likely find the nearest clock and tell you what said clock shows. Let’s assume that dogs can talk. If you asked a dog what time it was, they would reply, “now”.

If you were to ask a person where you were, they would most likely tell you what building, or what city you were in. If you were to ask a dog, they would say “here”. Kind of obvious isn’t it? Where else would you be? Dogs know exactly where they are at all times. They are “here”.

The meaning of the word lost is really in the eye of the beholder. Who’s to say who is lost?