Lessons from Lilith: part 1

Lil teaches me many things on a regular basis, so I thought I'd help her spread the word.

Lesson #1: Stop and smell the flowers (and the grass, and the rocks, and the trees, and the low lying shrubs...). Life is precious; the moments whiz by too quickly sometimes, but you can always take the time to appreciate them and be happy in the present.

Lesson #2: Work hard, play hard, and then give yourself a break. Naps are a great restorative treat for the body. 

Happy dog taking a nap :-)

Lesson #3: Eat! Enjoy your food without worrying about gaining weight. Eat when you are hungry. Love your food, and when you're full, stop eating. Trust that when you're hungry, food will magically appear. (Maybe I'm the only one that needs to be taught this lesson, but it's important, so I included it).


Lesson #4: Approach all others with an open mind, but trust your first impression. Lil doesn't mess around. She usually allows people and other dogs to sniff or pet her, but if she doesn't like them, she lets it be known, either by shaking or on very rare occasions, snarling. However, she tolerates most people and other creatures. She doesn't care what religion they practice or what country they were born in as long as they exude kindness, and I like that quality. If people were all like that, Earth would be a kinder, more compassionate place. 


Lesson #5: Define yourself by your abilities. Rather than focus on what she has trouble doing, Lilith still considers herself my protector. Sure, I carried her down the fire escape the other day, but she barked to warn me of the smoke, and clued in that there was danger two floors before I did. I doubt that her internal monologue included thoughts such as "I can't see as well as I used to" or "Woe is me, I'm so frail". Lil is a tough little kahuna, and she doesn't waste her time complaining or telling herself she is somehow inferior because of her age.