Life with a GoofMutt

Jack is a white golden retriever and lab mix.  We call him our GoofMutt because it fit whatever kind of dog he really is.  He is one of the most joyful beings I’ve ever encountered.  I’ve learned a lot from this guy and I truly appreciate him.

One of Jack’s best traits, other than his joy for EVERYTHING, ALL OF THE TIME, is his living in the moment.  He is mindful.  Mindfulness is one of those things we all strive for.  We want to be part of what is going on, invest in the people around us, feel that connection with the here and now.  We want to stop to smell the roses.  It comes so easily to him.  It doesn’t matter what he does, he enjoys it.  When things are tense or someone isn’t well, Jack is RIGHT there by your side feeling it with you and loving you know matter what.  And he takes joy in knowing that he has you to care about.  He really, really does.  

Jack is curious.  We’ve had to put a child lock on the cabinet where we keep the trash can.   It took him some time, but he can open it.  He can open jars, canisters, and medicine bottles with childproof caps.    And he can lock doors.  Yeah, I’ve been locked out twice.   I haven’t witnessed anything that he’s hasn’t been able to figure out.  I love his curiosity.  And I’m more curious now because of him.  Hey, if my dog can figure open a childproof cap without chewing up the bottle, I can sure figure out how to, say, write a computer program.  Yes, his antics sometimes leave me baffled, however he’s usually so proud of what he’s figured out, it is difficult to be mad.  He amazes me.

Jack came into my life at a very crucial time.  I didn’t know it at the time, but I was headed into a very dark place.   

I lost my WOW in life.  His continual joy, love, acceptance, living in the moment and being true to who he is were and still are an important part of my getting my own WOW back.   

Jack has WOW! My old WOW in life is gone, but the newer, cleaner, purer WOW I have now is more Jack-like, and for that I am grateful.   

Life is simpler now.  No masks, no pretense, no regrets, just me.  I don’t shed fur all over the place like he does, but I hope I shed as much joy to those in my life as Jack gives me.  

Who knew that a GoofMutt could be an angel in fur?  I didn’t.  But he truly is heaven sent.  Do you have a fur covered, 4 legged angel in your life? I hope so.  I truly hope so.   

Things that made me HAPPY this week.

1.  Working on photos for my niece for her special day

2.  Preparing and eating some super healthy, delicious meals

3.  Getting my hair and nails done.  I love my spa friends

4.  See Jack getting well. I love my dogs

5.  Talking with my kids for hours on the phone

 

6.  Photographing an ornery cow.  MOO!

7.  Reading.  I like getting lost in books.

8.  COFFEE!  I enjoying sharing coffee with friends.

9.  Super gorgeous jeans that fit and feel AWESOME

10  Endorphins.  There’s something addictive about working out.  I love endorphins!!!

Poppies

A goldenrod colored sign

on the side of the road

warns me to yield

to oncoming traffic

I yield to the other cars

noticing that the stripe

on the road is that same

unpleasant color of yellow. 

The poppies on the median strip

are goldenrod yellow, too

beautiful goldenrod yellow

glorious poppies

smooth delicate petals

move slightly in the breeze

while cars whiz passed.

I yield for the poppies.

Time. Fleeting Time

I heard so many times how some wished they had an extra hour or two in a day.  Well, during ‘fall back’ they got it.  Yep, a 25 hour day. . .  that extra hour to do with whatever you wished.   So what did I see???   An extra hour of rest?  No.  Most got up with their body clocks or their dog’s or kid’s body clocks.  An extra hour to accomplish a project or some plan that needed some extra time?  No.  Most didn’t give a second of that extra 3,600 seconds they got to any project or plan, the ones that needed that extra time if only it were granted.   You got it, and you wasted it.  

Well, it was.  A majority of us got an extra hour on Sunday to make all those special things happen.  That extra rest we needed, that project that just needed a bit more time if we could just squeeze it out.  

And what did we do???  Nothing.  We got extra time.  We got that one anomaly in this year that gives us the extra time we pray for each day and we did nothing with it.

Time is the most precious commodity we have.   Money comes and goes.  Friendships come and go.  Time only goes

. 

So, today you have the allotted 24 hours.  How are you going to spend it???  God knows, we most likely wasted a majority of the time we’ve already had.  How is this allotment going to be different?  What are you going to do today to make your life, our lives better?

Wheat Fields

Life is a sweet vapor that lingers

like the early morning mist on the

Kansas wheat fields in late August

alive for mere moments

   reflecting light from the first

      rays of sunlight

   creating new colors muted and bright

      nourishing the robust wheat berries

   floating gracefully atop the

      rolling fields of golden spires

and then in the next moment

   it is gone