Last night I decided that we would grill at home with the kids and enjoy a rain-free day (finally!!). I was in my kitchen getting ready to bring burgers and dogs out to the grill on the deck. My oldest dog,Trixie, waited patiently for me to open the sliding door that would allow her access to the backyard and me access to the deck. I obliged her and went back in for grilling utensils. Before I could head back out, my second dog burst into the kitchen. Now, to be fair, Coco is a chocolate lab with a joie de vie that is unmatched anywhere else in the animal kingdom. She is 85 pounds of pure love, as we affectionately refer to her. Coco heard us going outside and came flying up from the basement, barreled through the kitchen and then literally plowed right through the screen door to the outside. It happened in the blink of an eye! Even Coco was stunned because halfway through the screen she stopped stunned. She had 2 front legs on the deck and 2 back legs still in the kitchen with a startled look on her face that was comical. After pausing a brief nanosecond, she continued through the screen and out to the backyard, tail wagging, evidently pleased with herself.
I had to put down my tray and wipe my eyes I was laughing so hard! And yes, we now have to fix the screen, but there was a bigger lesson to be learned here. What if we all go through life with wild abandon? What if we all learn to stop and say-“what? oh that’s not so bad?” – and then continue along happily? Would our collective stress levels go down? I think so! I think we could all live a little bit more like a labrador. Labradors love unconditionally, play hard and let the little things go. Maybe it’s time for the dog to teach an Old Master new tricks.
treasaesposito 