Wait!

One of the hardest commands for me to obey is WAIT. Usually just about the time when my adventure is really about to get interesting is when I hear that stern, sharp command – WAIT! A call from my hooman, stopping me in my tracks. Sometimes when I am told to wait – I just ignore it. I act as though I did not hear the word. “Just keep your head down and keep sniffing”, I say to myself. “Don’t make eye contact”. But ultimately, my hooman will continue with the command – so eventually I have to give in and return to her side. 

A famous singer once said “the waiting is the hardest part”, and this time of year – I have to agree. We are in the final countdown until the fat man flies and delivers baby Jesus to his manager (or something like that). Only then will I get treats put in my stocking. So until the magical day arrives – I have no choice but to WAIT. *sigh*

Since I have all this time on my hands, I decided to take myself for a little walk and think about all the waiting I have left to do. As I trotted down my tree line trail, I began to think about Christmas. What surprises lay in store. I began to hope for bully sticks and milk bones. Maybe an extra squeaky or stuffy. My brothers will be home and they are always up for a wrestle or chase. When we play together the joy spills out of them with sounds of laughter. Remembering their joyous sounds all of a sudden made my heart fill up a little.

Enjoying these memories made me want to relive more of my past Christmas celebrations. I sat in the woods and thought about Grandpa. He will probably be sitting in the big chair. He lets me sit with him and then usually sneaks me cookies. My tail began to wag at the idea of spending time with Grandpa (and cookies). My tummy began to flutter a bit at the idea of seeing all my favorite hoomans again. 

Since it was starting to get dark, I decided to turn toward home. The pretty lights were all aglow and my tummy flipped again. The sight of the porch all lit up, ready to welcome family back home began to fill me with hope for more fun memories. The thrill of Christmas began to build inside me. All of a sudden, the burden of waiting was replaced with pure anticipation of the joyous moments yet to come. 

So friends, as we head into the last week before Christmas, my wish for you is that you too are filled with the anticipation of Christmas. If you find yourself scrambling to get things done or feeling  stressed – take yourself for a walk and enjoy the holiday lights. Let hope build inside you until you too are ready burst with joy and all the goodness of the season. The feeling of Christmas is one full of faith, hope, and love – and all of that is definitely worth the wait.    

Have a Merry Christmas and I will bark at you next week!

Your friend,