what does "I can relate"mean? When she simply looked at him, smiled at him, he understood. For love, he thought, and pressed his lips to her cheek. She shifted to look him in the eye. “So, you have a dog.” “I guess I do. She needed a place. I can relate.” “A dog’s a healthy step.” She shifted again to study him more closely, and leaned on her cane. “You look better.” “I hope to hell I do. You look better, Gran.” “I hope to hell I do.” She let out another laugh. “We were a couple of wounded warriors, weren’t we, young Eli?” “Healing up now, and coming on strong. Come home, Gran.”