When You Grow Up....

Recently, me, momma and dadz were at a neighborhood block party enjoying time with our neighbors.  I sat on my momma's lap and watched the children play while the adults sipped lemonade and played cards.

The children were getting a reprieve from the summer sun, frolicking in the non-stop spraying of the lawn sprinklers.  They were mystified by the sprinklers, trying to figure out the timing so that they could jump over the spraying arches, like a double-dutch jump rope. 

After 10 minutes had passed, momma put me down and I wandered over and sat down to watch the children play.  One of the little boys came and sat by me and announced, "When I grow up I'm gonna be a dog!"  All of the other children laughed, and one little girl said, "You can't be a dog, only a dog can be a dog!"  At about that time dadz came over and the little girl asked dadz, "Ain't that right?  He can't be a dog when he grows up!" pointing at the little boy who had the idea.

Dadz sat down in the midst of the children and me, and asked the little boy, "Why do you want to be a dog?"  The little boy said, "Well, cuz dogs are nice, and they play, and love everyone!"  Dadz said, "Well, in that case, when you grow up you can be a dog!"  All the kids giggled and started to ask a million questions trying to get dadz to explain how a little boy could grow up to be a dog.  "It's simple really," said dadz, "he wants to have the spirit of a dog in him when he grows up... and that's an awesome thing really.  So, if you," dadz said pointing to the little boy, "grow in to a nice young man who likes to play and has love for everyone, then you'll always have the spirit of a dog within you!"  All the kids seemed to understand that.  Then dadz picked me up in his arms, held me tight and ran through the sprinklers, laughing out loud, with all of the kids chasing after us.

Something tells me that me and my dadz had the same dream when we were little, to grow up and be a dog.  Ever since I was a little puppy I always new I wanted to be a dog.  I couldn't imagine a more beautiful thing to aspire to be.  Be kind to each other and practice becoming a good dog, it will help you on your journey.

With love, MattieDog