Eat Play Love

I will admit that I have never read nor seen the movie, Eat Pray Love (nor has anyone at this house), but the other day, while racing across an open field barking at crows, I thought to myself, “Why is my life so wonderful?” I realize that the original story was more about someone finding the wonderfulness of life, but the premise — that what makes our lives so wonderful is all around us in the everyday details — is the same in both stories — Elizabeth Gilbert’s and mine.

So I spent this past week gathering those details (de-tails?) and spread them carefully out on the floor to study them yesterday. Yes, the floor was covered with things like car rides along the lake, a new (really really long) bully stick from my Auntie Sheila, all my friends (canine and human), a warm blanket, music, teriyaki chicken from Toshio’s, snuggling, walks, romps, cuddling with Auntie Jessica…I could go on and on and on.

But as I sorted through the many meaningful moments of my life, what I realized was that at the center of it all are three basics and they can, for me, be summarized as Eat Play Love…though technically it should go in this order: Play, Love, Eat.

PLAY: You can be certain that 99% of the time I have a moment where I stop and say to myself, “Hey self, your life is pretty wonderful!”  I am playing. Play includes running along the lake, racing through the woods, chasing after something (a ball, a bird, a squirrel, a cat, A RABBIT), swimming (at the pool or in some body of open water), hiking, kayaking, running an agility course (though I am no longer allowed to do it), or wrestling with my friends. (I know I’ve probably left something out, but you get the idea — if I’m moving and generally off-leash, I am beyond happy!)

Take this week, for instance: I got to play fetch at the park with my friends Paige and Monty (and Monty’s mom Colleen) and that made me hysterically happy…

…then I worked all week (and yes, for me work is a blast!) walking my friends Paige, Monty, Rosie, Tyson, and even Woobie…

…I got to make Woobie happy by helping her get some warm water exercise at Wellsprings K9 (as we all try to help heal her broken toe)…

…and I got to spend some quality time with my new best friend, Zoe, who visited me from Marquette, Michigan! (and I met a new friend, Chester!)

In between this full life of play is all sorts of stuff you don’t get to see — like I hung out at Auntie Jessica’s one day and we went on two wonderful walks together where I pranced and danced at the end of my leash, proud as a peacock to be walking with Jessica and her dog (and my buddy) Quillette; I saw Lulu and we spontaneously went on a walk together; I saw Liliana at Dog Mania for a Spaw Day; and I even got to go visit Dr. Geisler who gave me a much-needed adjustment on my back!

Which leads me to the LOVE part: Most of my play, if not all of it, is with friends (canine and human) that I love and who, in turn, love me.

Paige stayed with us last weekend and for a few days during the week and the more I get to know Paige (and share my life with her) the more I LOVE her (and yes, she loves me, too!).

Zoe, who I’d met years ago, came all the way from Michigan to cuddle with me on the guest bed. Now that’s what I call love!

There are places that I love and that love me back — like Seward Park — where we took Zoe for a walk…

…a ride on the zip line (well, she rode, I just barked at her)…

…and breathing in all the cool, chilly air on a cool, chilly day by the lake!

And again, there are so many places that I love that you don’t always get to see. For instance, I just got back from the Duwammish River Park where Paige and I flushed out rabbits from behind the bushes and chased them all the way across the park.

And I got to share the love, too  (which makes me feel loved as well) sharing one of my favorite places with my dear friend Woobie (Wellsprings K9) where she got to swim (something she loves to do) and get a massage from Auntie Sheila!

EAT: Okay, I’ll be honest. This isn’t one of my most favorite activities in the world but hanging out with Paige for a few days is the best way for any curly man to learn to eat! Man alive, I’ve never seen a dog ATTACK their food like she does. I watched in amazement as she waited patiently (and drooly) on her (actually MY) bed and then when given the signal, leapt across the floor and devoured her meal in 60 seconds or less! (The title of her book would be EAT, PREY, LOVE!)

That was inspirational. So inspirational in fact, I ate like a “real dog” (Gretchen’s words) the whole time she was here.

Of course, eating can be yummy at times especially when I turn my nose up at my bowl of delicious raw food and Gretchen decides to add some freshly cooked chicken or maybe some Havarti cheese to the mix and then, maybe then, I’ll eat it all up.

Though I know eating isn’t one of my favorite things, it’s certainly a necessity and I’m very lucky to have great food (and great moms) who will provide me with the best meals know to Dog!

And friends who give me bully sticks (dog chews) longer than my own body! (Thank you, Paige!)

So yes, the wonder of my life is multitude of things that add up to an equation I can only wish for every dog: EAT, PLAY, LOVE (in any order you prefer) and don’t let a moment of your life slip away into the doldrums! Yep, I’m grabbing life by the curls and never letting go! (And sometimes it’s good to sleep as well…but only if it’s under a big, warm blanket!)

See you soon,

Rubin