positively present

the importance of being earnest: an ode to pets

 (♥)

  

Today we're lucky to have an inspiring guest post from Katy McDougall, creator of Teeny's Friends, an organization that provides toys to needy dogs. My dog, Bella, and I are both huge fans of Katy's and I'm happy to share her awesome guest post with you today. You can find Katy online at Teeny's Friends, on Twitter @teenysfriends, and on Facebook. Thank you, Katy, for your great contribution to Positively Present!

I’ve always been a fan of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. In the play, the characters create alter-egos to avoid inconvenient or unwanted social situations. Incredibly, though written in 1895, Importance is still socially relevant in 2009. With cell phones, instant messaging, and social networking sites, it’s easier than ever to avoid someone or something if you wish to do so or feel as though you don’t have time. It’s easier to send a text message rather than pick up the phone and call someone, and it’s more convenient to send an email than to stop by and have a face-to-face chat. Whatever happened to personal contact? I don’t know about you, but I miss it. It’s hard to convey much emotion via electronic gadgets, even with the clever colon parenthesis combo that makes a smiley face. Here’s where my dogs enter and help bring me back down to Earth when I get caught up in the go-go pace of the 21st century.

• They keep me sincere (or earnest, if you prefer). You can’t “fake it” with a pet. Why even bother trying? They know when you are happy, sick, angry, or sad. Sometimes its good to let your honest emotions out. And they’ll be there for you, cocking their little heads to the side, listening to you talk, shout, cry, or laugh.
  
  

• They keep me altruistic. I am the most important person in the world to my dogs. That makes me want to be a better person, both for them and myself.
  
  

• They keep me balanced and help me remember to breathe. No matter what’s going on in the world, our pets need to be fed, walked, loved, etc. Routine is comforting and relaxing. No matter how stressed out I am, all I have to do is pet my dogs and I can feel myself begin to calm down. One kiss from them and the world spins a little slower; I find I can think more clearly. Studies have shown that people with pets live longer, so I am not the only one to notice this effect.
  
  

• They remind me to put down the electronic devices and spend one-on-one time with those I love. No text message can compare to a hug. I can’t instant message my miniature schnauzer! Pets demand our full attention and they deserve it. Every minute that passes is one minute that you’ll never get back, so make each one the best you can.

  

 

Positively Present is all about living life to the fullest. Fullest doesn’t always mean easiest! We are so accustomed to doing things the most convenient way possible; it’s easy to forget the simple pleasure in catching up with a friend in person over coffee. It goes the other way as well- many things we view as chores don’t seem so bad when we change the way we think about them. The point is, don’t be like the characters in The Importance of Being Earnest and avoid the parts of life you view as unpleasant. Good or bad, it’s all part of the journey of life. My dogs are my personal perspective; get out there and find yours!

 

Katy McDougall lives with her husband Todd and their two dogs, Marteeny & Tootsie, in beautiful Austin, Texas. She was inspired to start Teeny's Friends, an organization that provides toys to needy dogs, after rescuing Marteeny several years ago. Katy recently celebrated her 25th birthday (for the 3rd year in a row) and loves the beach, movie marathons, good company, and all animals. You can find Katy online on her blog, Teeny's Friends, on Twitter @teenysfriends, and on Facebook. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contest Winner Announcement!

As you may or may not know, there was the very first giveaway on Positively Present on Monday and I let everyone know that I would announce the winner. Though I'm still traveling in NYC right now and will not be able to respond to comments/emails until my return, I couldn't let another day go by without announcing the lucky winner of the awesome Vol 25 giveaway. And the winner is.......Melissa Donovan! Melissa, author of Writing Forward -- and excellent site that I read every post on, chose the Knowledge Speaks print from Vol 25's amazing collection. If you're upset you didn't win the giveaway, don't worry -- you can still visit Vol 25's site and find some fantastic deals. Congratulations to Melissa! I will email you soon to give you all the details about your prize. :)  

no one belongs here more than you

 

 (♥) 

 

Over the weekend, I started (and finished!) reading No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July. [Side note: I've created a profile on goodreads, which is an awesome site that helps you organize the books you've read or want to read as well as helping you find new books to read. If you'd like to follow me on there, search for Positively Present under the "Add a Friend" tab.] For what feels like forever, I've been wanting to read July's book (simply based on title and cover alone!), and I'm glad I had the chance to finally absorb her words this weekend. While it sounds like the book could very easily be a self-help book, it's actually a book filled with very interesting, sometimes odd, short stories. Though it took a little bit for me to get into it, I ultimately enjoyed it very much. As I was reading, one passage stood out to me: 

"Do you have doubts about life? Are you unsure if it is worth the trouble? Look at the sky: that is for you. Look at each person's face as you pass on the street: those faces are for you. And the street itself, and the ground under the street, and the ball of fire beneath the ground: all these things are for you. They are as much for you as they are for other people. Remember this when you wake up in the morning and think you have nothing."

I've had those mornings, the ones where you wake up and wonder hopelessly, "What am I doing here? What's even the point?" I know just how the mix of confusion and hopelessness can rip at you when you feel like your life has no meaning, or, at the most, an unclear meaning. Whether they'd admit it or not, I think most people feel that way from time to time. No matter who they are, how much they have in their lives, most people -- at some point in time -- wonder what the hell they're doing here and if it's really worth it. (Yes, even those who believe in God or the Universe or whatever have these thoughts running through their heads every once and awhile.) Having been one of those who has asked, "Is this worth it?" I'm here today to tell you that it is. It absolutely, 100%, without a doubt is worth it. Even the most painful, awful, horrific moments are worth it. Even the moments that seem as if there can be no point to whatsoever are worth it. 

And, though I've never given much thought about it before reading July's passage, we really all do belong here. The world around us really is for us. And, honestly, who are we to question that? Who are we to wonder if we have a purpose, if we are living according to some apparent plan? Of course we're living the way we're supposed to. Our now, our present moment, is the only absolute given we have and if we don't start accepting, loving, and embracing our now moments, we'll forever be in that state of wondering. So... how to do we accept and love our current situations?

We have to realize that we all belong. 

Every single one of us belongs here, even if we don't know why. Even if we think we know why, that "why" is often hard for our human minds to wrap themselves around. Life -- in that big, generic sense of the word -- is mysterious. Our purpose is vague at times, but it is there. When I feel at a loss, wondering why I'm here and what in the world this all is for, I find that connecting with others is one of the best ways to bring me back into the present moment. Spending time with others helps me to feel more connected, more at one with the world, and more like I have a sense of purpose.

Another great way to find that sense of purpose and to live in the now is to appreciate and be grateful for all that is around us. Last night I finished reading Guardians of Being and it had a HUGE impact on the way I see the world and the creatures within it. Though I'd already started writing this post, it really showed me that we all belong here and that we are all important. As humans, we think way too much and we could learn a lesson or two from the animals around us (seriously, read Guardians of Being -- you'll love it!) about living in the moment and accepting the fact that we all belong here. After all, if we didn't belong, why would we be here?

After reading the passage from July's book the other day, I thought to myself, "Yeah! Why would any one person belong more than someone else? Why couldn't it be possible that everything is here for each of us?" Hard as it can be to grasp sometimes, we are all the same. It may seem like some people "belong" more because they are popular or famous or appear to have a clear sense of purpose, but that's just not true. No one belongs in your life more than you do. No one belongs more in this world than you do.

That doesn't mean that you belong more than other people. It means we all belong here the exact same amount. That is, if "belonging" were one of those things that could be calculated in amounts... That being said, I really love the idea that the world around us is for us. The passage above made me realize that this is all an actual possibility, that the world really can (and does!) exist for us. Maybe it's my ego talking (okay, it's definitely my ego talking), but I love contemplating the idea that everything is here for me. And if it's here for me, it's here for you too. It's here for us. There's a sense of unity in knowing and believing that, isn't there? It's great to know that we're all connected, that we all belong.

Though I know it won't be easy, I plan to keep this feeling of belonging at the forefront of my mind (as well as all of the great lessons I learned from reading Guardians of Being last night). I plan to remember this feeling the next time I find myself alone in a crowded room or staring up at the ceiling above my bed wondering, "What am I doing here?" I hope this reminder will help me -- and you! -- get through some of the times that just don't make sense, the times when I feel like there's no way I could ever really belong. I hope that you'll remember that we all belong here and no one -- absolutely no one! --  belongs here more than you.

a rain-soaked realization: are you living in YOUR moment?

 

 

"Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in..."

Natasha Bedingfield

Living In the Moment

Yesterday there was a loud, fierce thunderstorm late in the afternoon. Though the day had been much too hot and humid, the storm caught me off guard and I found myself standing out on my balcony, squinting up in vague confusion at the overcast sky as the raindrops pelted down, plummeting from the clouds. Much like the image above, I stretched out my arms and felt the raindrops, warm and wet, hitting the undersides of my arms, my palms. It was a luscious, summery feeling. It was a rare moment for me to reach out and willingly feel the rain. I -- the girl always dashing quickly inside or hurriedly opening an umbrella at the first droplet of water -- was standing there, arms outstretched, actually enjoying the fall of rain, the way the drops hit my skin quickly, one after another after another, as if it were a race to see which of them could collide with the world first. I appreciated their warmth, a sure sign of a summer storm that would soon be ending. I appreciated the urgency of them, the way they fell so fast and so frequently that within moments my open palms were dripping. Had I been wearing an elastic band around my wrist like the girl in the image above, it most certainly would have been soaked. It was coming down that hard and there I was, in a very rare and un-Dani-like moment, just taking it in, looking up at the sky, at the clouds, and feeling the rain on my skin. I couldn't help but notice just how in the moment I was. I was there, really feeling it, and, in spite of my lasting and quite serious dislike of rain, I was enjoying that moment. In fact, I loved it. A summer shower, a balcony, wet palms and wrist, and a little dog at my feet, looking up at me with a mixed expression of confusion and discontent.

The Multiple Meanings of a Moment

How odd, I realized in that moment when I looked down at the expression on my pup's face, it must be not to understand what thunder is! How unnerving it must be to hear such a sound and have not only no concept of what it is, but also to have no way of understanding that it's okay (as children often have when they're reassured by their parents). Looking at my dog, her little face turned up to mine, I realized that a moment can consist of so many things. Of course there was me in the rain (or, rather, my arms in the rain; let's not get carried away because there's pretty much no way I'd be out in a rainstorm without a very good reason). There was the rain itself, having its own moment as if it were battling the world. And then, of course, there was the dog and her moment. Just on the verge of shaking, unsure whether or not the loud, booming noise of thunder would strike again, little Bella the dog stood there, looking up at me, worry and wonder on her fur-covered face. Using warm-as-the-rain tones and words I knew she knew (like "it's okay" and "good girl"), I did what I could to quell her fears, but there is only so much you can communicate when you don't speak the same language.

Letting Go of Your Moment

In this moment, trying as I had been for five years of rainstorms to tell her that it was okay, I realized that sometimes things are better left unsaid. Some things are too difficult to communicate with words. Instead, I wiped my wet wrists, palms, and forearms on my T-shirt, bent down, and scooped that pup up. She placed her head on my shoulder as I slid the glass door shut, safe and dry inside of my apartment. I realized that one's moment of pleasure might be another's moment of terror. To comfort another was worth giving up on that moment of joy, that brief period of standing there, rain-soaked and smiling, on the balcony. While I sat with Bella on my lap for the next half an hour -- until the thunder finally wandered off and her pinned-back ears eased up once again to a more relaxed position -- I realized just how much it probably meant to her, to be sitting on my lap, in a place of safety, while the odd and unexplained noises carried on outside. It made me think a lot about how each moment can mean so much (or so little) for someone and how that very same moment in time can pass by virtually unnoticed by others.

No One Else Can Feel It For You

As Natasha Bedingfield sings in "Unwritten" (I know, I can't help but think The Hillsevery time I hear the song, which is playing in my head almost every time it rains), no one else can be in your moment. Every moment is there, waiting for you, but no one can ever feel it the way that you can. Take, for example, the situation with Bella and I. It was the same moment, the same minutes ticking past as we stood on the balcony, side by side. But what was similar about our moments? Very little. She was terrified, her fear mounting every time the thunder boomed in the distance. I was happy, relishing in a rare moment of present-ness as the rain fell on my skin. Same moment, yet so different. Experiencing this with her, looking at her reactions and feeling my own, I learned a lot. I learned...

... that we all can react to the very same moment in completely different ways.

... that no one can tell you -- or should tell you -- how a moment should make you feel.

... that sometimes you have to let go of your own moment and fall into someone else's.

... that you should pay attention not only to your reactions but to the reactions of others.

... that transforming a moment for the sake of another can make it the very best moment of all.

They were transformative, those minutes sitting there on the couch with Bella and realizing all of this. It wasn't until much later in the evening, after the rain had stopped, that I realized how important this was, how much it meant. Over the past few months I've spent so much time trying to focus on the present, to live in the moment, and it was a revelation to realize the meaning of a moment, to realize the multiple meanings of a moment, and to recognize that there is a time for selfishly indulging whole heartedly in my own moments and there is a time for realizing that there are others sharing in the same moment, feeling perhaps very differently from the way I feel. I will never say that living in the moment isn't ideal. I firmly believe that living in the moment is essential to getting the most out of life. What I'm thinking about now -- and would love to hear your opinions on -- is how different a single moment can be and how important it is not only to live in our own moments but to recognize the moments of others as well. Being present doesn't have to mean being selfish. Being present means being aware, not only of yourself and the moments you're living, but of the moments of others as well.

Do you find that you're aware of the moments others are experiencing?
How often to realize the differences between your moment and another's?
Do you ever feel as if you are forsaking your own moments for the satisfaction of others?

[Note: Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have completed the Positively Present survey. It's been so wonderful to get feedback -- both positive and negative -- from all of you and I really do appreciate the time you took to complete the survey. I'm still going through all of the responses and trying to figure out what will work best for Positively Present readers, but I will be creating a schedule for posts and doing what I can to tailor to your needs (shorter posts, I know!!). Next week I will write about any changes and will keep you updated as much as I can. Again, thank you ALL for taking the survey. And if you haven't done so, there's still time. Feel free to take the survey whenever you have a moment!]

it's a bella life

 
In Italian the word "bella" means beautiful. To me, the word "bella" means a whole lot more. You see, Bella is the name of one of my favorite buddies -- my dog.  This weekend I spent a lot of time with her (oh, who am I kidding, I always spend a lot of time with her) and I realized that she has a lot to teach me about the world. She's pretty appropriately named considering (1) she's beautiful and (2) she seems to think the world is beautiful too. For the most part she sees the good, wagging her tail and embracing this odd life she's been given, living in a pack of humans who spoil her like crazy. Though she barks ferociously at the FedEx truck and she tends to be unnecessarily skittish around strangers, she generally seems to have a good outlook on life.

For awhile I've avoided writing about her for two reasons: (1) she's such an important part of my life that I didn't want to focus too much on her, something that is pretty close to my heart and (2) I didn't want to turn non-dog lovers off with a post all about the joys of having a dog. This blog isn't about dogs. In fact, this post isn't even about dogs. This post is about living the most beautiful -- bella -- life that you can. And I happened to learn a lot of these things from observing my dog. You could probably pick up on these things from spending time with kids or cats (or whatever other pet you might have), but I learn a lot, every day, from my little Bella. Silly as it may sound, she's an inspiration to me. And I hope she can be inspiring to you too! Don't get turned off by the fact that she is merely a little eight pound pup -- she has a lot to teach us about the world. I just came across this quote and it's perfect: 

 

"In order to really enjoy a dog,
one doesn't merely try to
train her to be semi-human.
The point of it is to open oneself to
the possibility of becoming partly a dog." 

Edward Hoagland 

 

Check out what I've learned from Bella below and then take some time to look around in your own world. Where can you gain inspiration? Do you have children or animals you can watch and learn from? Do you have amazing people in your life (yes, adults can be inspiring too!) that you can gain insight from? If we open our eyes and really look around, inspiration is everywhere... One note before I go on. The image above is Bella. Originally I put up a picture of another pup, but I decided to change it and expose the real inspiring force behind this post.  

 

Lessons on Living a Bella Life

• Be aware of the world. Look around at everything. You see so much from just being aware. For example, Bella noticed an adorable bunny hiding in the bushes near my apartment (yes, she tried to attack it, but that's beside the point!). I never would have see the bunny with my nose stuck in my book if I hadn't felt the tug of the leash as she lunged in its direction. Keep your eyes and ears open...there is so much to see!
  
  
  
• Live in the moment. You all know I LOVE this one. But it's so important so I'll say it again (and again and again). Bella has taught be to be present in a way that I don't think people quite understand. She is there, in the moment, all the time. Aside from the occasions when she needs to go outside or is in desperate need of a new bone (and, yes, she does act like this is a desperate situation), she doesn't think about the future. She doesn't worry. She doesn't recall the past and dwell on it. Maybe it's because she physically cannot think that way, but we can program ourselves to be like her, to live in every moment.
  
  
  
• Find time to play. I don't know about you, but playing isn't on my To Do list today. I just don't think about it much. But Bella is always there to remind me, tearing me away from my computer with a toy in her mouth and a hopeful look in her eye. Even when I'm at my busiest, I can't turn her down when it comes to playing. She reminds me that it's important to take a time out, to just romp and run and enjoy fun.
  
  
  
• Know what you like. Some might call her picky, but I think it's wonderful that Bella chooses what she likes and refuses to settle for anything else. She likes certain flavors of her food and won't eat other flavors. Picky, yes, but also sure of what she likes. If she doesn't like something, she won't eat it. I don't know if that's true for all people...I think a lot of us do/eat/say things we don't want to. Why? We have the ability to choose. If you don't like it, don't do it -- that's what Bella would say!
  
  
  
• Use your voice. Bella's a lady of few words, but when she wants something -- really wants something -- she lets you know it. Let's say she really wants me to give her a new bone. She sits beside the couch, first growling and then barking, until she gets what she wants. Of course, this is a horrible quality in a dog, I know. But I cannot help but admire her persistence. She doesn't give up. She wants something and she will not stop until she gets it. She speaks up when she needs something (like to go out) and warns us when she thinks there is danger (like a deadly FedEx delivery). Speak up like Bella and let the world know what you want!
  
  
  
• Take time to rest. Bella isn't shy when it comes to just laying down and taking a nap -- anywhere. She'll sleep on the couch, my bed, her bed, the floor, the closet, under a chair. She's not picky when it comes to her resting spots. How about us though? How often do we really, truly rest? I only rest when I'm sleeping which is about 7-8 hours every night. I don't take naps. I don't meditate (I know, I need to start!!). I don't relax really. I'm on the go always, always doing something or writing something or reading something. We should all take a lesson from Bella and spend more time just being, just relaxing.
  
  
  
• Give lots of kisses. While some might say Bella's obsessive licking is a problem, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and say that it's really sweet. She wakes me up with her tongue going, just dying to give me some morning kisses. One of the things I remember thinking when my last dog died -- the beautiful, amazing, wonderful Pooky -- is that I wish I'd let her lick me more. I was always turning away and saying "Eww! Stop it!" and when she died I couldn't help but long for one last little lick. So, with Bella, I say, bring on the lovin'! We could certainly all benefit from a few more kisses in our lives, right?
  
  
  
• Go after what you want. She spots a bunny in a bush or a squirrel on the run, and suddenly the leash is taunt, her eyes and ears are focused, and all eight pounds of her are practically dragging me across the sidewalk. When Bella wants something, she goes after it. Being the animal lover that I am, I always reign her in and encourage her not to torture the friendly animals, but she is relentless. Just like when she wants a bone or a treat, she will persist. Bella's persistence is inspiring. How often do you want something and just sit around waiting for it to come to you? Bella would have never cornered that bunny in our tennis court if she hadn't gone for it with gusto! (Don't worry, the bunny was not harmed if you don't count the look of absolute terror on it's little face.)
  
  
  
• Cuddle every morning. Every morning, after the alarm has gone off and I've finished reviewing the emails on my BlackBerry, Bella crawls under the covers and cuddles with me. Sometimes she wakes me early, just to do this. We all might not have someone to cuddle with every morning, but you can indulge in some sort of early morning ritual that makes you happy. Seeing Bella's happy face, her tail wagging when she knows that I've finished checking my emails, makes getting out of bed so much easier. Find something that brings you joy every morning and the day will seem a lot less daunting.
  
  
  
• Be very curious. Everything is interesting when you're less than a foot off the ground. Bella notices almost everything -- blades of grass tainted with other dogs' scents, tiny scraps clinging to the carpet, new outfits that I've laid out neatly on my bed, the sound of the cabinet where her bones are kept opening, the tone of a voice when someone is angry, the drops of rain sliding down the window (she tries to lick them), an empty can of Red Bull on the side of the road. Bella is aware and she wants to know more. When I'm gathering the mail from my mailbox on the first floor, she is always craning her neck around the corner to see if anyone's coming. When I let her out on the balcony, she will spend hours and hours watching cars and dogs and neighbors. Be curious like Bella. Be aware, but take it one step further and seek more information.
  
  
  
• Greet others happily. When you meet Bella for the first time, her tail is wagging and her little body is moving with joy --  unless confronted with a male or a stranger (okay, yes, this is a lot of the population... Bella has a few issues she needs to work out...). Bella is (most of the time) friendly. And with those she knows and loves she acts as if it is the absolute best thing in the world that you've come to see her. After work when I pick her up from day care she acts as if she hasn't seen me in years. She is so happy. Now, I'm not saying we should all act like over excited dogs when we see each other, but think about how you act (especially to those you see all the time). Do you smile? Do you hug? Do you act as if it's truly pleasant to see the person?
  
  
  
• Listen carefully. While sometimes her careful listening can be a pain (why must she bark when someone down the hall comes home?), it's really interesting to see how aware of sounds Bella is. She can recognize the sound of the garage door opening. She knows what a certain tone of voice means. How aware are we of what we hear? Right now I can guarantee you that I'm blocking out the sounds of my office so that I can write this. Often I ignore the tone in someone else's voice because I don't want to deal with the emotions that have triggered it. More importantly, I often don't listen to my own tone. We could all benefit from listening a little harder. We would be surprised, I'm sure, of what we would hear...
  
  
  
• Know when to stop. When I'm playing with Bella, there's no doubt in my mind about when she no longer wants to play. That final time I throw the toy and she doesn't come back with it, I know. When she flops down on the floor, panting, it's clear. We don't always take the cues our bodies and minds give us when it comes to stopping. We keep pushing on sometimes when we should really stop. There are many, many times that I needed rest and I didn't take a time out. There are many unfortunate times when I pushed an issue I shouldn't have. Do like Bella does and recognize when it's time to stop. And, remember, there will usually be another chance to pick up your toy and start playing.
  
  
  
• Have happy dreams. Over the weekend I was working on some art, when I heard a thump, thump, thumping noise coming from the couch. I glanced over and saw Bella, napping, her tail thumping happily against the pillow behind her. This wasn't the first time I'd seen this, but it made me incredibly happy to see that, even in her dreams, she was happy. Of course I instantly wondered what she was dreaming of. A person? A dog? A toy? A treat? I will never know but what I do know is that I want to have dreams like that. I want to dream with my tail wagging. I'm not sure exactly how to do this, but I do think that positive thinking during the day can really help impact your mind at night. We have to believe in positivity always, deep down in our souls, in order to have dreams like Bella's.
  
   
• Appreciate new things. It started when I was away for two years in California. Every time I came home for a visit, I brought Bella a toy. Every time she acted like I'd given her the best gift ever. And every time I bring her something from the grocery store or Target or when we celebrate her birthday or Christmas, she acts as if every toy is the very best toy. I've never seen a dog so ready to embrace new things. Our beloved Pooky would like some toys, but usually went back to her old standbys (like Bunny and Hippo). Bella, on the other hand, is so happy to have any new toy. I love her excitement. It makes me want to buy her toys all the time, just seeing how happy they make her. Think about this in your own life. Are you really grateful for gifts? Do you really express your gratitude like you should, with expressions of delight and happiness? I know I don't always do this, but I should always, always be grateful for the kindness of others.
  
  
  
• Let someone help you. When you're eight pounds, less than a foot tall, and live with a different species, you're going to need some help every once and awhile. Bella needs to be fed. Bella needs to be taken out. Bella needs to go to the vet. Bella needs help getting on the bed. Bella needs to be carried on the elevator (she's scared). Bella needs help getting her toy that's too close to the vent (she's scared again). Bella needs. Being who she is and where she is, Bella needs a lot of help. But she's okay with that. She asks (in her dog way) to get on the bed. She asks me to pick her up when the elevator dings open. She asks to be taken out when she has to go. I, on the other hand, want to do everything myself. I could learn a lot from Bella by letting others help me out more often.
  
  
  
• Be a good friend. To me, this is the most important element in living a Bella life. Bella is a GREAT friend to me. No one else in the world would lick my tears when I cry (okay, maybe someone would, but that would just be sick). She stays (literally) by my side. She is always happy to see me, no matter what kind of mood I'm in. She listens (yes, I do talk to her sometimes). She  looks positively panicked when she sees that I'm upset. She does her best to comfort me. She greets me every morning with joy and happiness. There is a bond between us that is strange but wonderful and I really do consider her a friend. We should all treat each other the way Bella treats me -- by being comforting, loving, and happy with each other.

 

For those who aren't dog (or animal) people, you might think that I'm a complete wacko right now. You might think there is no way that a dog can be an inspiration to people, but it's true. "Man's [or woman's] best friend" certainly isn't something I made up and you know there are countless books on why dogs are good for people (15 minutes of petting a day can significantly reduce stress, I read somewhere!). Dogs are amazing beings and I'm so grateful, every single day, to have one in my life. My friend Lauren got a puppy this weekend and I'm so excited for her. She is headed for a lot of work, but she is also headed for a lot of love and learning. Over the past five years, I've learned so much from Bella. She really does help me see the beauty in the world. The world is beautiful. It's up to YOU to make your life a Bella one.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on living a Bella life. How do YOU live your most beautiful life?

The day after I wrote this post, I received this wonderful quote in my inbox (courtesy of Oprah's Quote of the Day!):

 

"Because animals seem to dwell in the present moment,
because their own presence is so instinctive,
their attention so unwavering, the offer us
a different kind of compassion than humans do.
Anyone is lucky to have both human and
animal comfort in their lives."

Brenda Peterson

  

Wonderful quote, isn't it? Thanks, Oprah, for emailing it to me! ;) I really do believe that people benefit greatly from having both animals and humans in their lives (though I personally prefer the former). What Peterson has written about animals is so true -- they dwell on the present moment. If you want to live in the present moment, it's important to surround yourself with others who are also striving to live in the present. It's a lot harder to be focused on the present if you're surrounded by people who are dwelling on the past or anxiously awaiting the future. That's the great thing about animals -- they are pretty much always in the present moment. So if you don't have an animal in your life (and you don't dislike them), you should think about getting one -- or, at least, spending time with one. You'd be surprised how much more in the present you'll feel when you spend time with a creature that does nothing but think about the now! For those of you dog lovers out there, Oprah has a list of great dog books on her site. You can check 'em out here.