Donna Highfill
  • Home
  • About
    • About Donna
    • What People Are Saying
    • My Other Blogs
      • Dame Nation Blog
      • Huffington Post
  • Services
    • Power Up BUSINESS
    • Coaching
  • Books and Tools
  • Blog
    • Fave Products
  • Contact Me

What My Dog Teaches Me About Joy

AndrewBlog2 commentsFebruary 20, 2012

I am in the middle of a lot of personally-invoked change, and the prospect of an unsure future worries me. And my dog doesn’t care.

It’s not that he doesn’t care about ME, it’s that he doesn’t understand why I am worried about what hasn’t happened yet.

He lives totally in the moment. If he’s hungry, he eats (or begs so relentlessly that we give him something). If he’s tired, he curls up in his bed and sleeps, only glancing up at us if the television is too loud. If he feels frisky, he carefully selects a toy out of his toy basket and brings it to us with a few loud barks to declare recess.

Last night, during our brief snow, I took him into the front yard. I was focused on knocking the snow off of our newly planted trees (the ones that replaced our fourteen oaks that went down in hurricane Irene).

As I was knocking the snow off the trees, I thought of those huge oak trees lying face-down after the storm. My heart began to hurt, and tears welled up in my eyes.

Then my dog got the wind craze. Riggins took off running around the yard like a maniac, kicking up snow and doing helicopters. While I was mourning for something that had already happened, he was living in the moment.

Eventually, he ran directly at me, hurling his 90 lbs. recklessly in my direction. He’s never really understood the art of dodging at the last moment.

As I saw him coming, I began to scream with anticipation and jumped to the left to avoid the direct hit. As I jumped, I lost my footing and fell into the snow. Riggins was delighted that I had joined his game, and began licking me in the face. I laughed hysterically, fighting to get up.

Once I got on my knees, I looked my dog in the eyes. And, I realized, he gets it. This moment was happy. We have new trees, and snow, and peace, and quiet, and laughter, and love. Why was I ruining it by remembering something that was painful?

I stood up, looked around my yard, and thanked God for every beautiful thing in my life. Then Riggins and I took off around the yard together, kicking up snow and celebrating.

 

Tags: Change, donna highfill, featured, highfill performance group, inspirational stories, joy

Related Articles

Why Change? Because You Deserve to be Tucked In!

July 14, 2011Andrew

How to Change Your Life with an Improved Story

January 22, 2013Andrew

How To Energize Yourself Through Change

September 5, 2012Andrew

2 comments. Leave new

Rob Adcox
February 20, 2012 3:29 pm

That story blew the main breaker switch in my emotions, Donna. Riggins does get it. My dog also got it. And, eventually, he taught me. Life is never too stressful to drag a garbage bag across the house, spilling orange peels, coffee rinds, and last Thursday’s newspaper from the sofa to the nearest bathroom. Life is what we make of it, even if making it is defined in part by chewing mom’s shoes or drinking from the toilet. Riggins not only celebrates life, he IS a celebration of life! Riggins gets it, like you say, and thet he teaches you is one of the greatest blessings anyone could ever know.

Thanks for sharing this story.

Reply
Donna Highfill
February 20, 2012 3:40 pm

Thank you! This story was for you, and I knew you’d completely understand it, Robert. And, yes, Riggins also drinks out of toilets although he’s a little skittish since the lid fell on his head one night.

They are pure love, and we are lucky to have them. Thanks for your poignant (as always) response.

Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Learn How to Tell a Better Story and Achieve Success!

Sign up below to receive 48 FREE Energizing Messages.

Connect with Me

Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Recent Posts

  • A Cab Driver Who Appeared as if from Nowhere
  • Here’s Some Honesty For You
  • Laughter is My Hero
  • A New Year in Old Clothes
  • Why I Will Face the Fall

CHECK OUT MY BOOK

highfillcover

As a leader, do you implement change only to watch the projects, processes and initiatives stall because you can’t get the people driving them to change? In my new book Real People, Real Change: Stories of a Change Warrior in the Business World I share real stories to illustrate how leaders can move people to action.

Archives

Where Donna Will Be Speaking Next

  • April 22, 2015 - SunTrust Women's Networking Group
  • April 23, 2015 - SunTrust Women's Networking Group
  • May 12, 2015 - LPGA Championship, Kingsmill, Williamsburg VA
  • May 21, 2015 - Education Association of Fundraising Professionals, Eerie, PA

Certified_hi-res

mbti_certified
huffbadge

Learn How to Tell a Better Story and Achieve Success!

Sign up below to receive 48 FREE Energizing Messages.

Recent Posts

  • A Cab Driver Who Appeared as if from Nowhere August 9, 2017
  • Here’s Some Honesty For You March 16, 2017
  • Laughter is My Hero January 10, 2017

Contact Me

804-370-6665
[email protected]
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • About Donna
  • Contact Me
Copyright Donna Highfill 2014