My day as a dog

My mind was on the brink from the moment I woke up.  As I shuffled around the house with my morning juice, my mind was racing with my "to do's" for the day and I'd barely opened my eyes.  I squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to turn off the "switch" that would shut down my brain with no success.  I can't take anymore, I thought.  Four weeks of problems with our only vehicle and the last one was a doozy.  My husband accidentally set the truck engine on fire while spilling transmission fluid on the manifold.  $30 a day in gas, just to get to work and back while waiting a week to get the truck into a trustworthy garage.  Things were already tight and this put a huge crimp in the paycheck.  Not to mention the toxic exhaust fumes that were radiating up from the partially open floor board, (oh, did I mention this truck is an almost a rusted out antique?)

In order to keep my sanity about truck/money situation,  I'd been pushing myself around the house to take care of things that I'd let go.  I pushed and pushed until I awoke this morning and found I could push no more and I stared at a brick wall that wasn't going to let me go any further.  I felt totally immobilized.  Hopeless.  Helpless.

Somehow I made my way into the kitchen and to my salvation dogs, the Front dog's bed, Chance and Blaze on my heels.  As I laid down in exhaustion, Chance plopped right next to me so I could hold him.  Our usual pattern with Blaze taking her place at my legs.  Surrounded by their protective love I took a dog nap that started the course of my day.  My day as a dog.

When they napped in the sun, I did too.  When it was time to eat, we ate together.  When they cuddled

together, I cuddled with them.  When it was walk time, walked.  And when I wanted to read for a while, I read out loud to them.  Something I learned from a program at the local library that is called "Paws for Reading."  Children read to a dog that is brought in, where they learn to read and build their confidence reading out loud.  I had an entire audience right in my own home.  Although Chance must not have cared for the book too much as he left when I started reading.  The book was about three sisters. " Too much girl talk!" He grumbled and left Blaze and I to indulge ourselves.

There's something to be said about being a dog for day.  It was just what I needed to calm my weary mind and slow down the negativity that I'd felt bombarded by.  It made it so easy to forget all the things I couldn't do and share in something I could.  We all dream of being a dog for a day...why not just do it?