Things my dog taught me

Our dog Ziggy was 16.  We had to put her down this past weekend.  She was in pain and we felt it was the humane thing to do.  While my husband and I were sad, we spent the weekend talking about what a great dog she was and the funny things she did.  When we took her to the beach she would spent the entire day barking at the waves. She could catch a Frisbee thrown as far as a football field.  And she loved sitting right up against you on the couch. The more I thought about it, I realized there were many things she had taught me about how to live my life.

1- Be really happy to see someone.  Anyone.  Ziggy would greet everyone who came to the door with her tail wagging.  Didn't matter who they were or what they were doing in the house, she was genuinely happy to see them.

2-Look forward to going for long, aimless walks for no other reason than to take a long, aimless walk.

3-Snuggle with the people you love.  Touch them and make them touch you.  When they are sad, happy, angry, whenever, it doesn't make a difference.  Just touch and snuggle with them.

4-Ignore all influences meant to divert you from your path.  She taught me this a few weeks ago.  Ziggy was old and couldn't hear or see at the end of her life.  There is a bird that built a nest in a bush in our backyard. When Ziggy would go out in the yard, the bird would dive-bomb her to keep her away from the area where the nest is.  Ziggy was oblivious to the birds attacks and did what she wanted to do. The bird never gave up, but Ziggy didn't care.  She just went about her business doing what she wanted, walking where she wanted and laying where she wanted.  The bird did not deter her at all.

I want to be like Ziggy and I think I'd like the rest of the world to be like her also.  Rest in Peace Ziggy.