Letter to my dog: Thank you Cleo
2012 was a good year. I have had the chance to spend a lot of time with my wonderful dog Cleo all year. Each day she shows me how to give fearlessly while influencing positively the world around us. Watching her in action is impressive. This year she has shown me that though she is aging rapidly, she can still demonstrate the joy of a puppy.
She has shown me patience as I learned the art of insulin injections. Her blindness has only made her cuter as she walks gingerly through our home. Her loving behavior belies the aches and pains I know she has. Cleo's ability to handle ailments with quiet grace is astonishing.
It is also a time to look around and take stock of what you have to be grateful for. I am grateful for Cleo's influence and inspiration. I have always tried to see the glass which is my life, as half full. My dog has only confirmed this as a good way to live. For the last twelve months I have noted that she has demonstrated something like Zen Buddhism in her approach to her life.
I am grateful for all that Cleo does, is, and brings to my life. I thank her on a regular basis when we're alone, but today I thought it would be nice to share with a wider audience some of the reasons why I'm thankful for Cleo. There is a reason why she is almost larger than life as the muse for GrouchyPuppy.
Here are a few of the ways that a dog can influence positively by justing being themselves:
Thank you Cleo
Thank you for your soft puppy belly
Thank you for letting me hug you
Thank you for putting your body between mine and everyone else
Thank you for making me feel safe
Thank you for listening to my stories
Thank you for closing your eyes sweetly when I kiss you
Thank you for turning your ears to my voice
Thank you for stretching with satisfaction
Thank you for smacking your lips in contentment
Thank you for smiling at me
Thank you for finding your way to being equidistant between papa and I
Thank you for smelling like my childhood stuffed bear
Thank you for making that motorboat sound when you stretch
Thank you for flexing your toes like a cat
Thank you for spending another year with us.
Who are you grateful for? What has someone done that has made you smile, or gave you joy? How does your dog bring love into your life? Email us or share in the comments.