Gizmo

I have heard it said that showing people pictures of puppies makes them feel happier.  While this might not be true for everyone, many people’s brains  fire some sort of “happiness neurotransmitters” when sweet little puppy pictures are shown.  I guess this is the reason therapy dogs are so popular in hospitals, nursing homes, and other places.  It is interesting how such cuteness captures us. 

I am one of the lucky ones who gets to have a puppy in my home.  While puppies are a lot of work, they bring a joyfulness that is hard to explain. We are fortunate that he is a pretty good puppy, and yet even when he is bad he is so stinkin’ cute!

One of my favorite things to do at our farm is to take a walk around the property.  The dogs go with me, and since we have enough acreage they can walk without a leash.  Yet if I were to be more precise, the puppy does not “walk.”  He runs ahead at the fastest speed he can muster, then rolls around in the grass with fervor.  He rolls for a while, sniffs for a while, then runs again and repeats.  I can only wonder what is going through that cute little head of his.  Is he chasing a squirrel, rabbit, or mouse?  Whatever it is, he gets it every time!

Another thing about this puppy during our walks is he is truly happy.  His eyes light up, his tongue hangs out, and he has not one single worry on his mind.  At that moment he is fully invested.  At that moment he is the luckiest dog in the world.  I wish I could cast my cares aside like that. 

What is it that has you worried today?  What has made you sad or downhearted?  I don’t have all the answers, and I realize we can’t escape from our problems too long.  Yet it helps to do something we enjoy for a while to relieve tension.  We could learn a thing or two from this sweet little puppy named Gizmo.  If we could embrace our joys with the same fervor that Gizmo uses to frolic in the grass, we might find we feel a lot better.