LESSONS FROM MY DOG

My dog, Deeggan, a.k.a. Deeg’s, will be 13 this year. He is a Jack Russell Terrier, but not your typical breed. I mean, he isn’t yappy, and he is overall a pretty chill lil’ pup. Over the Christmas holidays last year, we had a scare when Deeggan experienced a series of seizures. This of course led to tears, lots of cuddling and sleeping in the living room with him. I don’t mean to write a post about my deep love for my dog, but rather how something like this can transform the way you see things.

Let me explain. I think there are lessons we can all learn from our furry friends. Although he will be 13, he still loves chasing and retrieving anything we throw for him, from a ball to a stuffed animal. He is stiff to start his walks these days but loves it when we get going. When he gets a new toy, he becomes obsessed with it for a while. He refuses to eat certain foods because he doesn’t like them, like bread or carrots, however he will only eat certain things he does love, like cauliflower, broccoli and any kind of meat or fish. He doesn’t like being alone for long periods of time and loves it when we show him affection and attention.

Dogs are just like people.

Here is the lesson: Deeggan only does what he really loves, when he wants. It is like he has a sense of intuition that guides him through his day. He meets not only his needs but also his heart’s desires. He hasn’t let this go, despite his age. My husband says he does those things because he can. But I believe he lives in the moment and does only what feels good in that moment.

As we age, life gets busier and we start developing more rules and principles to live by. We let go of our sense of wonder and child-like selves to be a more responsible, self-contained adult.

When was the last time you jumped in a puddle?

Ate only what you loved, not what was there?

Played?

Took a walk for the sake of a walk, and not as a form of exercise or punishment for the way you have treated your body lately?

When was the last time you professed your love to those around you? Towards yourself?

Deeggan makes me live more purposefully and mindfully. He makes me want to connect with the things I love, like creating art, reading and dancing. He makes me stop questioning things and reminds me to just do what feels right and what makes me happy in the moment. He makes me feel that no matter how much older I get…I can never lose myself.