It's the Simple Things in Life


When momma takes me for a walk, we see neighbors out and about and other people and doggies walking around the neighborhood.  I hear my momma say, "Hi there," and I show my joy by wagging my tail.  "Hi Mattie!" is the greeting that normally comes my way, and sometimes I get a little treat.

Around dinner time there is a nice gentleman named Terry, who lives a block or so away, who walks by our house and I often get all excited around the time he is suppose to walk by.... "MattieDog, stop all that wiggling, I'll let you out," momma says as she opens the door to let me out to wait at the edge of my driveway for my neighbor.  Terry often sits on the grassy knoll at the end of our drive way with me, pulls out his little pocket knife and slices an apple he brought with him on his walk, and shares little pieces with me as we sit peacefully together on our cool lawn.

Terry had a stroke a couple of years ago, and as part of his therapy he walks laps around our neighborhood three times a day.  Every time momma sees Terry she say's "Howdy!" and Terry always says, "Coming by your house is the best part of my walks!"  Sometimes momma has dinner ready and takes it outside and we wait together for Terry; and when he finally rounds the corner to our house, we all sit on the lawn together.  We eat dinner on paper plates and listen to Terry as he shares stories about his life and tells us that happiness is a choice, to wallow in self-pitty is a horrible waste of time, "it's powerless and changes nothing."  Momma agrees and shares stories with Terry.  I eat my apple slices and take a nap already fully aware of the power of choices, and am grateful that my momma and Terry spend time together strengthening their bonds as friends.

Life is a funny thing really.  The simple joys, like a cool breeze on a summer day, are often overlooked due to the complexity cultivated throughout the years. Momma says, "I remember when I was five MattieDog," as she sits on the cool grass of our yard, looking up in to the sky. "I'd lay under a tree and watch the sun shine off the leaves of the tree and think 'how magical, all those little tiny leaves!'" Then she pulls me under a tree and we lay there together for hours,  looking up at all the leaves flowing in the summer breeze.  Magical.... life is truly magical! I hope you strip back some of the complexity you've cultivated throughout the years and simply enjoy life.

With love - MattieDog

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