Headed for 60 and thinking like a dog ...

Dogs are interesting ... and seem to have thought out this whole "dealing with life" thing.  They appear to  handle it quite well.  OK, maybe not all dogs, but mine do.

Please realize - I love my dog.  Actually, I have two dogs, but I really REALLY love one of them.  OK, now I feel bad.  I love them both BUT I enjoy the company of one a lot more.  You see, there is Abby, the pedigree Chihuahua that I really thought I had to have.  She is adorable ... lots of fun.  But, as her breed seems, to dictate, she is a little crazy (I lied about that, she is a lot crazy).  Plus, being a purebred, she thinks that we are all here to cater to her every whim.  If you doubt me, check out this photo.  Abby is the small dog lying on top of the larger one.

Now we all know people who have the Abby syndrome.  It's all about "me - me - me" and their concern isn't whether or not you will object to their behavior.  Their thoughts tend to be centered on whether they can get by with their behavior.  In this case, Abby does.

But then there is the other dog ... the one that I paid nothing for.  She's the Australian Shepherd mix that Abby uses for her cushion.  Girlfriend is such a great companion.  (Yes, Girlfriend is her name ... think about a dog's name before you name them.  Going down the street yelling "Girlfriend, Girlfriend" will get you strange looks.)  She and I chat (ok, I chat and she listens ... see why I like her) and I believe her spirit is one of thankfulness.  My wonderful husband, Dennis, found Girlfriend abandoned, starving and covered in fleas and mud. Along with her was one puppy (we searched and that is all we could find)  that was still nursing on her and Girlfriend literally looked like a skeleton with skin draped over it.  She was a very timid dog, but after some confidence building, she is fun, she is loving, and she seems truly grateful for her cushy life.

Heading toward 60, I plan to think more like my dogs.  After all, there are lessons to learn from each of them.  Abby could show me the advantages of looking out for myself.  Seriously, we do need to take care of ourselves and not depend on others to do that.  Example:  I am the only one who can be sure I eat right, get enough sleep, and make it to the Y on a somewhat regular basis.

From Girlfriend, I can learn the act of humility and kindness.  She really doesn't seem to mind being Abby's soft spot to sleep.  Giving a smile or a kind word to those I meet every day is thinking like Girlfriend does.  Girlfriend is thankful ... I love the brisk swishing of her tail when I come in the door from work.  From Girlfriend, I can learn to be thankful to God for a warm (or cool, after all this is Texas and the weather can change on a whim) home, a soft bed, a loving family, and the list could go on forever.

But what about this dog?

I don't know this dog ... but I think I'd like to.  Don't you think this dog has stress conquered?  It just makes me laugh.  When I saw this picture, I decided to think like a dog and never take myself too seriously, trust those around me, and accept the love that is available to me everyday.  This dog doesn't seem to have a care in the world and ... in dog years ... may be well past the age of 60.

You go dog ... you're my Rock Star!

"In order to really enjoy a dog, 

one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human.  

The point of it is to open oneself 

to the possibility of becoming partly a dog."

~Edward Hoagland