Lessons from my golden

There is nothing so humbling as being taught life lessons by a two year old when you are 45! Yesterday as I was walking my golden retriever I was considering his take on life and how many things he has down pat that I have yet to learn.

He knows how to take each day as it comes: sun or rain, walk or no walk, play time, nap time. He just lives in the moment and enjoys it fully. He doesn't stress about yesterday, later today, or tomorrow. Whatever he does, he does it wholeheartedly.

He is always ready to play. Me, no, not really. I mean these things have to be planned, don't they? That's why we have calendars and planners and blackberries and phones and .... So yes, I need to learn to be spontaneous in my play. I also just need to learn to play more and that is one of my goals for this year. Doing things I love simply because I enjoy them: they don't have to fill a need, be good, satisfy anyone else. So I plan (there's that word again! :P) on reading more, writing more, painting more, pursuing things I just love. And so far I have begun to do that.

My golden knows how to relax. Stretched out fully on his back with his feet flopping up in the air, or perhaps snuggled in a tight ball of golden fur, heavy sighs of contentment rumbling from deep in his chest. My dog can sleep for all he's worth.

He also knows how to take limitations and turn them into a game since he finds joy in everything in his life. For example: though the leash he is attached to means I am technically leading him, he will take the leash in his mouth and prance out in front saying in effect, "this doesn't control me, I am leading the way!"

I need to see the limitations I experience, mainly with my back, with the same happy heart. I can choose to say, "This doesn't have to control me, I will get a grip on it and lead the way." Instead way too many times, I get frustrated and feel constrained. I need to learn to grab that condition and just recognize it is only a state of mind that keeps me down, not the actual physical circumstance.

So, hopefully I can learn to live in the moment, play more freely, relax totally, and overcome limitations with the right attitude!

Blessings!