Back a few months ago, I got me a new pair of boots!

I never had boots before, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect.

You see, lately I’ve started dragging my back paws a little bit when I take mommy and daddy for a walk.  When I would do that, the top of my paws would start to bleed.  So, daddy went onto Amazon and bought me these slick red dog boots.  He wasn’t sure if I would like them or not, but he told me that if I wanted to keep taking him and mommy for walks that I was going to have to wear them.  To be completely honest, I loved them as soon as I saw them.  I thought that they were pretty cool and they were comfy, too.  I never even tried to kick them off like my mommy and daddy thought I might.

As soon as I saw them, I thought that the chicks might dig them, too.  I mean, the chicks pretty much dig me no matter what, but anything that I can do that will make them dig me more, I am all for!  And, I was right!  The chicks really do dig the boots!  There have been times where they see me from far away and I hear them saying, “Awww, look at his boots!  He’s so cute!”  When I hear that, I start smiling and wagging my tail and I get an extra spring in my step.  I say, “Did you hear that mommy and daddy?  I told you the chicks would dig the boots!”  Then they come up and ask if they can pet me.  Then everyone is happy once they pet me.

After I got the boots, I started thinking about some things.

I thought about just how lucky I was to have a mommy and daddy who loved me enough to get me boots so that I could keep walking them.  Then, I thought about everywhere that my paws have been and what an adventurous life I have.  I mean how many other dogs can say that they’re an author?  Or that they’ve been to 44 states and parts of Canada?  Or that they’ve dipped their paws in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, the Great Salt Lake, three of the Great Lakes, and so many other cool bodies of water, both large and small?

How many other dogs have taken their mommy and daddy on countless hikes all across the country?  Or seen the Appalachian Mountains, the Great Smokey Mountains and the Rocky Mountain?

I am so grateful for the wonderful life that I have.  I wake up every day and thank God for the amazing life that He has given to me.

Even though, I don’t take mommy and daddy on really long walks anymore and I might walk a little slower than I used to, I am still grateful for every time that my paws touch the ground and we get to explore new places.

I mean, I’m going to be 15 years old in two months and boy, oh, boy I have big plans in front of me.  We’re going to see California this year, a different part of Canada and even Alaska!  I mean what a great life I have!

I might have gotten a cyst here and mole there on my body, now that I’m older, but I don’t even think about that sort of stuff.  I have too much life to live yet to worry about a couple extra lumps here and there.  Those lumps have been tested by the vet, and they’re nothing to worry about.

I think that sometimes humans get too caught up in worrying about the future and things they can’t control.  That’s why I am always reminding my mommy and daddy that we need to enjoy the moment that we’re in right now.  We’re never going to get it back, and it’s the only thing that is guaranteed, so let’s make the most of it right now.

Take the walk, take the drive, get your paws dirty, take a deep breath, let the wind mess up your fur, take a nap, smile at people, enjoy the pets and belly rubs, and savor every second that God has given on this earth.

Slow down and stop the rat race.  Take a picture, meet with your friends, and don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself.

I put this in my book, but I don’t think that I can ever stress it enough, so I am going to put here again, and hope that more people take heed to my rules to live by.

  1. Always try to make people smile and feel happy. You never know what they may be going through.
  2. Don’t bite when a bark will do.
  3. Always make time to take a walk, and get into nature.
  4. Anytime is a good time for a nap.
  5. You’ll get more treats when you’re nice.
  6. Take time to smell the roses, as well as anything else that you can smell.
  7. Always make time to play.
  8. Be grateful.
  9. Live in the moment.
  10. Enjoy the journey.

Way too many people get caught up in worrying about whether their paws have more steps behind them than they do in front of them, but the way I look at it is that we can’t worry about how steps our paws of in them, we just need to make the most out of every step our paws take.

Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment.