Happy Colli-days
You know the thing about dogs? For all the hassles: the chewed up holiday ornaments (including one of my grandmother's crocheted snowflakes, thank you very much), for all the mud tracked in, for all the worrying over barking and jumping on the counter, and trying to eat the ribbon every time I turn my back while I'm wrapping gifts, they really embody the spirit of the holidays better than most of us do.
Not to say that we're not trying to put our hearts in the right place, but somewhere along the line I think a lot of us - myself certainly included - just get caught up in the "process" that has become the holiday season. Christmas, let's just face it, is a lot of work! I used to have a breakdown at some point every holiday season. Just a full on crying fit. You could make bank on it happening at some point between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. The stress would just wear me out past the point of reason: what with the shopping, the baking, the decorating, trying to make my mother happy and honor our family traditions, but make my mother-in-law feel her traditions were honored as well, and all the while working full-time. Oh, and then the kids! Once they got past the joyous age of wonder, when they started to get competitive about what they got versus what their cousins got...well, it just became a season to endure, not enjoy. And then, as some of you know, there was trying to put on a family holiday in the aftermath of losing one of our family.
It's marginally better now. For one thing, I've just learned to handle the pressure better. But it's still a hectic, stressful time of the year. Money stretches thin, time stretches thinner, and so on. While I may not throw plates or anything, the holidays are not my finest or funnest hour. The expectations are out of whack from what they should be, I've always thought. In short, there wasn't much time given about the true meaning of the season. Which touches on more than a single religion, so that's not what I mean really. But no matter what faith you follow, we're brought up to believe that this is the time of year to not only pause and reflect on that faith, but do so with your family. It should be about family, not what comes out of a box from Jared.
But I was considering my dogs the other day during one of my marathon gift wrapping sessions. There they were, huddled just outside my door, waiting patiently for me to come out. And it occurred to me that they never lose sight of what's important. I mean, they love the standard dog stuff: food, chasing squirrels, playing tug. Yet, above all that they simply love us. And one another. Come Christmas morning they'll each have a stocking, and my sister-in-law sent a package just for the dogs, but they'll be more thrilled that we all will be there to spend the entire day with them. And they're enjoying this moment now when I'm quietly pausing to blog. They're curled up next to me and at my feet, content with their lot in life. Family is what matters to them 365 days a year. They don't need much else besides good food and care to feel fulfilled.
I've heard the expression, as I'm sure we all have, that it's a dog eat dog world. But, I find that dogs know more about the true meaning of love than we do. And they're better at practicing it. The world would be a better place if we followed their lead and worried less about what's under the tree than embracing who is around it.
With that all said, Sirius, Geddy and Rooney join with me to embrace all of you as part of our dog-loving family and wishing all of you a very Happy Colli-day!
;
Not to say that we're not trying to put our hearts in the right place, but somewhere along the line I think a lot of us - myself certainly included - just get caught up in the "process" that has become the holiday season. Christmas, let's just face it, is a lot of work! I used to have a breakdown at some point every holiday season. Just a full on crying fit. You could make bank on it happening at some point between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. The stress would just wear me out past the point of reason: what with the shopping, the baking, the decorating, trying to make my mother happy and honor our family traditions, but make my mother-in-law feel her traditions were honored as well, and all the while working full-time. Oh, and then the kids! Once they got past the joyous age of wonder, when they started to get competitive about what they got versus what their cousins got...well, it just became a season to endure, not enjoy. And then, as some of you know, there was trying to put on a family holiday in the aftermath of losing one of our family.
It's marginally better now. For one thing, I've just learned to handle the pressure better. But it's still a hectic, stressful time of the year. Money stretches thin, time stretches thinner, and so on. While I may not throw plates or anything, the holidays are not my finest or funnest hour. The expectations are out of whack from what they should be, I've always thought. In short, there wasn't much time given about the true meaning of the season. Which touches on more than a single religion, so that's not what I mean really. But no matter what faith you follow, we're brought up to believe that this is the time of year to not only pause and reflect on that faith, but do so with your family. It should be about family, not what comes out of a box from Jared.
But I was considering my dogs the other day during one of my marathon gift wrapping sessions. There they were, huddled just outside my door, waiting patiently for me to come out. And it occurred to me that they never lose sight of what's important. I mean, they love the standard dog stuff: food, chasing squirrels, playing tug. Yet, above all that they simply love us. And one another. Come Christmas morning they'll each have a stocking, and my sister-in-law sent a package just for the dogs, but they'll be more thrilled that we all will be there to spend the entire day with them. And they're enjoying this moment now when I'm quietly pausing to blog. They're curled up next to me and at my feet, content with their lot in life. Family is what matters to them 365 days a year. They don't need much else besides good food and care to feel fulfilled.I've heard the expression, as I'm sure we all have, that it's a dog eat dog world. But, I find that dogs know more about the true meaning of love than we do. And they're better at practicing it. The world would be a better place if we followed their lead and worried less about what's under the tree than embracing who is around it.
With that all said, Sirius, Geddy and Rooney join with me to embrace all of you as part of our dog-loving family and wishing all of you a very Happy Colli-day!
;
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