Maizy's Lessons Part 9: Scratching The Itch

Maizy takes after her Dad in many ways including having some intense allergies.  Just this past few weeks, she has had a flare up that got worse every day for about two weeks. She just couldn't stop itching until we tried pretty heavy allergy drugs as prescribed by our vet!

I know how she feels because there is a spot on my chest that I absentmindedly scratch when I have allergies. I know better than to do that and I still do it.  So I can only imagine how hard it had to be for Maizy to not scratch when her allergies are bad. 

Thankfully, she is much better now but during the worst of her allergies, the only real relief that Maizy experienced was when she was playing.  Jawing with her brother, playing "get you" with me or chasing Marybeth distracted her just enough that she could resist scratching.

It made me stop and think, when we as humans are going through tough things what is one of the first things we stop doing? Yep, playing. Instead, we focus more, try harder, and work longer.  The Puritan work ethic fills our brains.

Maybe, just maybe, we could do more playing like Maizy.  Whether it is a tough time at work, a physical ailment, or a family problem, those issues will still be there when we are done. And, the load just might be a little lighter.

Will playing solve everything? Of course not, but any respite in the middle of a tough time is a welcome thing.  Thanks Maizy for modeling that for me, I have much to learn.......

Guest Lessons From Dogs: Delta and Inky

I really do love my job.  One of the best parts is taking people out to lunch to say thank you for giving and making people's lives better.  The only thing better is if we could have lunch by the beach.

Recently, I had lunch with a wonderful couple and after lunch they invited me to see their home along with their two dogs. When I showed up at their home, the two dogs came to greet me and ran away to go sniff the ground or each other, I can't remember.  I felt sad.  I was expecting that Delta and Inky would be like my dogs, happy to see me and ready to play for as long as I felt like it. 

Don't get me wrong Delta and Inky are great and after a few minutes both of them got used to me and followed us around the yard. I suddenly realized how spoiled I have gotten having two dogs of our own.  When Marybeth and/or I come home, it is the most exciting thing in the world and they are happy to just show us their belly for a rub.

It was in that moment that I realized how is easy it is to take for granted the love that Marybeth, Grant and Maizy show me everyday.  I think we get used to being loved unconditionally and it takes meeting someone new, like Delta and Inky, to help us appreciate the amazing love we experience every day.

So, Delta and Inky it was wonderful to meet you and thanks for helping me see and appreciate the things that are most important in my life.  Hopefully we can hang out again soon.

Grant's Lessons Part 9: Love The One You Are With

Maybe the song's lyrics don't fit this blog post, but the title does.  I was thinking about how much change Marybeth and I have had in the four years we have been married. Some of the change was chosen but other changes were thrust upon us.  I realized one member of our family has gone through more change that he did not choose than any of us: Grant.

Grant has had to accept a new house, a new alpha male in the household and a younger sister. In a dog's life, that is an awful lot of change!  And none of it was really his choice.  (Even though I think Marybeth would have had a much more difficult decision on whether to marry me if Grant didn't at least learn to like me!)

One thing Grant has taught me during this whole process is: love the ones you are with. G has grown to love us.  He had no choice in the matter but still loves us. Having a male that he knows and feels comfortable with and a sister to play with every day, has given Grant much of what he truly wanted in life. To get those things he really wanted, he had to accept what life had given him. 

I think Grant is trying to teaching us to not tell the universe, God, life or whatever you believe in what you want/need to love but trust that those you are supposed to love are probably right in front of you already.  Our job is simple: love.  Lick the people around you, snuggle up next to them, and don't worry too much about how anyone feels about it.  Just throw yourself into the people around you and everything else will work out.

Thanks G, for the licks, the snuggles, and loving those who life has put in your path. You show how to love the ones you are with. We have much to learn, buddy. 

Grant and I have always gotten along really well.  Lately, he has been doing something out of the ordinary for him.  Grant has decided that he wants to sit on my lap.  He is not, by nature, a lap dog.  Maizy has been.  From the first day we got her, she decided that my lap would be her place to sit. 

But Grant has never been that way. He was more a loner dog, going away to meditate by himself on the most important issues in life:

·        How do I get more treats?

·        Why do like to bark at people riding bicycles and motorcycles?

·        Does the Dog Whisperer really just whisper to dogs?

·        Why do people still like The Chicago Cubs?

I think Grant watched Maizy sit on my lap continually and thought: "Maybe she knows something I don't know! I think I need to try that if she likes it that much." So he did and he really, really liked it. To the point that now he and Maizy fight over who gets to sit in my lap. 

In so many ways this is a good thing and a place of growth.  I think it also has something to teach us.  Grant watched his sister do something she really liked and decided to copy it.  He found that it was as good for him also.

We watch people around us do great things, things they truly enjoy. Yet, we hesitate to follow in their footsteps. We sit on the sidelines and try to forge our own way exclusively. Don't get me wrong, I am completely in favor of being your own person but there is wisdom in exploring what others do and enjoy. We just may find something that helps us and feeds our souls, just like Grant.

Thanks G, once again you teach us things in your own way.  What else can we learn from you, buddy?

 

New Years Resolutions 2012

Looking back at my resolutions from last year, I didn't do very well.  I only accomplished one of three. Passing the CFRE was a big thing but the others didn't happen. Onto next year!

My resolutions for this year are based on one of things that happened last year that wasn't in my resolutions and two repeats:

1.  Maintain my weight at between 200-210 lbs.  I lost  over 40 pounds this year.  That was a huge goal that wasn't on my resolutions for 2011 and they key is maintaining for this year. I have to be smart in my eating choices and continue to exercise.
2. Write in my blog more.  I need to restart my blog on Africa and write in this one more.   After two posts on the first day of the year, I am off to a good start.  My goal is to post in all three of my blogs weekly.
3.  Build Sequoia up to a 25k a year consulting buiness.

Those three would be a good year!

Maizy's Lessons Part 8: Going to Our Favorite Place

Maizy has always been a snuggly dog.  On first day she came home with us over 3 years ago, she found her favorite place: my lap.  When I sit down on the couch, she immediately finds me.  It is like a radar goes off in her head, "Beep, beep Dad is sitting down!". She runs to the couch waits until I put up the footrest, cross my legs. That is her signal she can jump into my lap and curls up like a wooly bear. (I had no idea a dog her size could curl up that small!)

This is her favorite place. If I stayed on the couch all day, she would stay there 95% of the time. The other 5 percent would be to eat, go out and bark at a dog passing by the window. 

Maizy will sigh a few times while she is curled up.  Those sighs are of complete satisfaction, there is no place that she would rather be. (Her only nemesis is my laptop which at times occupies my lap.  It doesn't last very long usually, she convinces me to move it easily.)

She never misses an opportunity to go to her favorite spot. I think we might be better as humans if we take more opportunities to go to our favorite spot, stay there as long as we can and leave only when something better comes along but come back as soon as possible.  We get lost in trying to accomplish things, achieve things.  But in the end, I think Maizy has it right. The things that fulfill us, make us happy and connect us to those we love are the things that mean the most. It is important to find those spots, cherish and nurture them.

Thanks Maizy for teaching us to value our favorite places.  It is easy for life to get us so busy that we forget.  Every time you curl up in my lap, I will remember.  Let's hope everyone else finds their spot too.

I have much to learn, puppy girl.