Everything I know I learned from dogs…

~Nora Roberts

“Class” is in session at the Wildwood Dog Park May 2019

Originally published in the Sun by the Sea…print and online@ sunbythesea.com

Isn’t spring the happiest time of year? My favorite canine companion (and awesome advice columnist) Lettie and I are sporting constant grins these soft, salt-scented days. Our tails are always wagging! Those of us who walk on all fours find happiness in life’s simple pleasures. We love our toys and our treats, the sun and the sand, lounging on the porch (or picnic table when nobody’s looking) and occasionally getting into harmless mischief (Lettie makes a terrific lookout). Our much-loved ones being happy is the enormous cherry on the top of this great big sundae we call life. Strangely, happiness seems to elude people more than pups. Because I care about the human race, and since “Pit Bulls & Paroles” is a rerun, I decided to investigate what the know-it-all Internet people, well, know about this thing called happiness.  During my Google search, I came upon Gandhi, a cool cat who suggested that happiness is when what you think, say, and do go together and complement your values. Call us dogs simple, but what we think, say, and do always go together! When Lettie and I want to do a little sunbathing, we think, say (okay bark) our way to the sun. Non-furry beings seem to take a different approach. They tend to analyze, question, and contemplate. Meanwhile, among the furry types, our thoughts, feelings, and actions are totally in sync. We’re too busy being happy to ponder its place in our lives. Maybe the world would be a happier place if humans followed in our paw prints. Happiness to Lettie and me is a no-brainer. Give us a midday snooze in a sunny spot on the porch, the sound of seagulls overhead, and we’re happy pups!

What’s your idea of happiness? You might want to take a minute and check with your dog…