***Inspired by a Dog

We are blessed to live in such a beautiful place. Most days I take Koda, our year-old Samoyed pup for a long walk in the mountains and truly enjoy the beauty of Colorado. Yesterday I was too busy with commitments and only had time to visit the dog park in North Boulder. Koda was excited to be there to play with the other dogs.

I was struck by the simplicity of life at the dog park. Each time we enter, no matter if there are two dogs or twenty, Koda happily bounds up to each one, tail flying, nose sniffing, enthusiastic total body wagging, with a perky “Hey, how are you” attitude. He doesn’t have a care in the world. His one-track mind and every part of his body are shouting “Let’s Play!” He has no memory of the black dog that stole his ball yesterday, or the little Kaiser Sosay dog that bites his feet each time he’s there. He could care less about the size, color or age of the dogs- they’re all fair game and welcome to play. He greets them each individually, but all the same way- with a great zest for life. My dog inspires me.

The owners are talking on their cell phones, occasionally talking with one another, but not connecting like the dogs are. We’re too wrapped up in all of the “important stuff” that we seem to think matters more than enjoying that particular moment. Almost makes me want to be a dog sometimes.

Dogs, like children, live in the moment. If they’re hungry they eat. If they’re sleepy they sleep wherever they are. If they’re awake they enjoy the moment fully. Life isn’t boring or stressful because they don’t know how to create it that way.

There’s no attachment to thinking about what tomorrow may bring and no regrets over lost bones or the remembrance of rain on yesterday’s walk. There’s no judgment about one dog being better than another. Someone else’s opinion of them doesn’t matter. They sing like no one’s listening and dance like no one’s watching, just because it’s fun!

And there is love- the warmest, sweetest most unconditional love ever! No matter what we do as humans, we still rock in a dog’s mind. When I grow up I want to be as cool as my dog thinks I am. Seriously, think about it. Who has a better opinion of you other than your dog? You really are as good as your dog thinks you are, but it seems that we struggle to believe it ourselves. And when we’re ready to embrace that part of ourselves, our dogs will be the first ones to say, “See, I told you so!”.

Can you imagine what it would be like if we humans greeted one another like we were dogs? So, let’s try something fun. Monday morning walk into your office with great enthusiasm, greet your co-workers with hugs and excitement (we’ll skip the sniffing part), share unconditional love with everyone around you and only do things that are fun. Live fully present in the moment with no baggage from the past and no fears about the future. And live with enthusiasm! Is your tail wagging yet?

Come on, try it! What could it hurt? You might just create your best day yet. And, I hear Milkbones aren’t too bad either.