Did you ever wish you could have the life your dog has? Sleep when and where you want… romp in the yard… have everything you need provided for you… and your only job is loving your family. Sounds pretty good to me!
Maybe you don’t have to quit your job and start crawling around sniffing people to live your life a little more… doglike.
- Dogs are very forgiving. Yell and your dog and five minutes later, you are back in their good graces. They don’t hold grudges against you if you chase them out of your precious flower beds or take away their favorite toy. They love you just the same.
- Dogs take time for themselves. Need a good stretch? A vigorous scratch? Your dog goes right ahead and does it when he needs to. But do people always take a five minute break when they need one? NO!
- Take pleasure in simple things. A favorite toy, a walk around the block, a chance to cuddle. How often do you just stop and enjoy simple sensations like the sweetness of ice cream, or the softness of your favorite pajamas? Do you appreciate the bright sunshine of mid-morning, or the scent of a cool breeze through your window?
- Bark just for the joy of it. I can hear Moose giving the occasional WOOF right now. He barks, and he wags. He says, “Hey world! Here’s the Moose!” Sometimes it feels good to make a little noise and get noticed. (Although if you start literally barking, you may get the wrong kind of attention.)
- Make everything an adventure. Car ride? Oh boy! Walk? Oh boy! Anything out of the routine is cause for excitement, if you ask my dogs. Maybe a car ride isn’t that exciting to you, but you can make it that way: bring mix tapes of your favorite driving songs and roar down the highway with the windows down and the music blasting. Sometimes something as simple as taking a different route from your usual commute is an adventure!
There is a very cute book out from horror writer Dean Koontz and his dog Trixie. It’s called LIFE IS GOOD… and it’s Trixie’s philosophy on life. You can’t help but feel better about life with wisdom like this: “Don’t just stop along path to smell roses. Stop for cheese sometimes. More cheese than roses. No bees in cheese.”