The Soothing Sound of Snoring

I sit in my home office, working on projects I need to get down. I’m a bit stressed, overwhelmed with deadlines and thoughts of my “to-do list”. My computer isn’t responding as quickly as I want, the house needs cleaning because company is coming, dinner needs planning and completing, and snow needs shoveling. So much to do, so little time to relax – or even get everything done. My fists clench and my jaw tightens. Then, I hear it – the sound of snoring.

I glance to the floor and see my two dogs, each deeply asleep on their respective blankets. Tails tightly tucked into their bodies, noses pressed into the softness of fleece. Deep sleep envelopes them, and the deeply saturated muzzles let out a sound so calmly, yet so comical. I smile, then laugh, and my tension melts away.

Why do we humans put so much pressure on ourselves? We let tensions and “to-dos” affect our behavior and our attitude. Especially “the little things”. So what if my house isn’t perfectly cleaned? Will my friends or family disown me? Most likely not. If dinner is served at 6:30 instead of 5:30, so what? If the snow gets shoveled 30 minutes later, what’s the big deal? The little things add up, but we’re the ones who keep the score.

Pets are great teachers of what’s really important: love, companionship, courage, and dedication. The soothing sound of snoring not only brings a smile, but brings a reminder of reality and implication of importance – slow down, love, appreciate, and don’t let the small stuff take away the smile to your day.

Furry Friends

With January drawing to a close, we celebrate 9 years of Sage as part of the Irwin household, and I've been reflecting on the meaning of friendship and how this special dog has impacted not just my life, but my husband's, my parents', my friends, and the many lives her story has affected through the stories and visits to schools. As I think of those positive impacts, the valuable life lessons, and the many people she's encountered and encouraged, I am deeply amazed and profoundly touched by Sage and her beautiful spirit.

What is a friend? Someone you trust, someone you care about, someone who is loyal and loving, someone who helps you smile each day, and someone you enjoy being with and miss when that individual is not around. That is Sage. Her devotion, her courage, her kind spirit, her affection all equal one thing... a special friend. Where else can one find such authenticity than in our pets? They are who they are, nothing more, nothing less, and they require very little from us except our love and loyalty. Our pets don't judge us, they accept us; they don't demand, they just accept, patiently and honestly. We humans can learn great lessons from our loving, loyal four-footed friends.

Pets help us to laugh more, to love more, to give more, to have faith and courage...in other words, pets help us be better people.

So, thank you, Sage, for all the blessings you've brought into our lives these past 9 years. And, to you, Cody, as we look to celebrate 2 years of sharing life with you. And, to our cats, Murphy and Bailey, who have been with us for four years, since young kittens. All of you bring joy, affection, and humbleness to our lives, and we are grateful for all the wonderful gifts you give to us: yourselves.

Love,
Gayle & Greg

My Pets, My Instructors

Summer seems to be here. Somehow, the region where I lived by-passed spring. The apple tree is in full bloom (took less than a week!) and the temperature surpassed 85 degrees the past few days. We blinked and spring has gone -- wow, time does fly!

With the onslaught of warm weather and early sunrises, my cats have come out of hibernation. Bailey, the independent and aloof one, now wants to explore the backyard before 6 a.m., something her sister likes to do no matter the season or air temperature! The two spend hours in the backyard, watching (and trying to catch!) the birds; stalking mice; and laying on the patio in the warm sunshine. And when not outside, they observe their outdoor domain from windows, cat trees, or any other place they can find to look out. My cats simply ENJOY -- and I enjoy watching them.

Ever notice how our pets just take things in stride -- weather, lack of success in mouse-stalking, physical limitations? They don't sweat it, as the old saying goes. They simply appreciate what they have and patiently wait for what they don't (a bird, in the example of my cats). We can learn a lot from our pets: loyalty, patience, simplicity, courage, perseverance, friendship, appreciation.

Some people call them "dumb animals" -- I observe them and see "teacher".