Right now, I am caring for our friend's two cats and dog. The cats, Sushi (I'm not really sure why they named their Siamese "Sushi", but there you are) and George, mostly take care of themselves. Their dog, Wooster , is another matter.
He is old as dogs go, but in good shape. He is a finicky eater. He likes boneless, skinless chicken breasts baked in the oven, but not dried out. He is particularly fond of lunch meat (who isn't). He will eat dog food as long as you keep trying new flavors. He seems to get bored easily.
When I got home from my latest visit this morning, I told my husband, Bernd, that Woo still had his breakfast chicken (some of it anyway) in his bowl which is raised up off the floor to accommodate his old, stiff legs. He's a big dog and the floor is just a little too far away these days.
My husband made the comment that Wooster really should eat a diet balanced for dogs (i.e. dog food) and not for people. To which I replied, "He's an old dog. He's had a good life. If he wants to eat people food, let him." And then it came out of my mouth, one of a piece with the previous, "When I'm 99, I'll eat whatever I want." That's when Bernd looked at me and said that it would make a good title for a book. I must have given him a look (like I have no desire to try writing a book) because then he said, "Well, at least an article." So, my mind took off. I am supposed to be doing my daily work out.
Thoughts are flying through my mind at supersonic speeds. Ideas are racing helter-skelter with no real coherence. Will I make it to 99? Will all my food allergies go away by then? What is it that I would eat then that I don't eat now? What did I really mean when I said that?
Bernd said that he thought the title could be a metaphor. I asked for what. He said a lot of things. I wanted a real example, but he was sitting there in his recliner with Eckhart Tolle's book, "A New Earth," in his lap and I knew that if I pressed the issue he might go on for at least a half and hour about something or other and I really just wanted to get some of my thoughts down "on paper."
The truth about Wooster is that he has been a finicky eater all his life; at least when it is Larry doing the feeding. He eats a little better for his "dog-mom", Cindi. Wooster really knows how to play Larry. The main thing, however, is Wooster knows how to enjoy himself. Most cats and dogs do. People, now there's where the problems start. We don't really know how to enjoy ourselves. Not as adults, anyway. Allergies aside, why should I wait until I am 99 to eat whatever I want? I think the real question is why can't I just enjoy myself now? Why do I have to wait for some perfect time or permission?
Well, there is fear for one thing. We, Bernd and I, do our best to ignore the fear messages that advertisers use to get us to buy a certain product. We actually record most of the programs we watch and fast forward through the commercials. But I will admit that I am a "child" of the times and fear is a factor. If I did whatever I wanted, bought whatever I wanted, we could run out of money and lose our house. If I ate whatever I wanted (allergies and migraine headaches aside), I might get fat, develop high cholesterol, have a heart attack or God only knows what. My parents set the stage very early for fear as a driving force in my life. I have a very distinct memory of them telling me when I was five years of age, while we were shopping, to keep hold of my sister (three years younger than me) and to stay close because if I were not with them when it was time to leave, they would leave without us. Shame on them. Shame on advertisers.
Don't think that my life is a living hell; it isn't. I am sensible and live within our means. I am very good at managing my own health. If you asked me if I am happy, I'd have to say that yes, generally, I am. So why did that statement come out of my mouth? And what did it really mean?
I think that we are taught to defer enjoyment. That to enjoy ourselves RIGHT NOW is wrong; that we have to defer pleasure until some magic moment when it is all okay. But will that moment ever come? Will we die before then? Will we break a leg so badly that we can never walk well again and so miss out on that European walking vacation of which we have always dreamed? Actually, that is not one of my dreams, but you get the idea.
We have a cat, her name is Winnie. She really knows how to enjoy every moment. She is not afraid to ask for what she really wants and do everything she can to get it; sometimes very amusingly and with real intelligence. I can learn a lot from her. Like, it's okay to have fun. Just think about it for a moment and see what you might be not doing right now, that you could be doing. I know that I am.
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» left by Teresa Ortiz (134 days 15 hours ago.)
Hi Dianne, this was a very amusing article. I enjoyed it and all its truths. Enjoy everyday as it is a gift. As for me, I'm going to have another piece of cake :-) Blessings to you! Teresa
» left by Dianne Lehmann(2,545) Dianne Lehmann (134 days 11 hours ago.)
Hi Teresa, thanks for the comments. One of my allergies is to wheat...so have another piece of cake for me! As for me, I am learning how to enjoy myself more.
Dianne
» left by Camille Strate(1,248) Camille Strate (134 days 13 hours ago.)
Dianne~ I LOVE this piece. My own brain is going 240 MPH...in response to the thoughts you've posed. But, lest I ramble on here (and I could, of course!) I'll just offer this: don't wait to do ANYTHING. Watch those critters and let them continue to teach YOU how to live. They already know how...we're just figuring it out. I offer this from a place of first-hand experience (on both counts) and I cannot tell you how much my life has changed because of them (the critters AND the 'waiting'!) Eat what you want NOW. And, for what it's worth, consider this thought WHAT IF the only foods that are 'bad' for us are the ones we THINK are bad? What if....it's all just a bunch a phooey? (remember when we were supposed to eat bread with every meal?!) Wouldn't it be a shame if today's dinner was the very last meal we ate...and it was some boring, fat-free ICK to keep our cholesterol down?
» left by Dianne Lehmann(2,545) Dianne Lehmann (134 days 11 hours ago.)
Hi Camille, thanks for your advice and for joining my fan club. Your point about our last meal is a particularly good one! And yeah, I know someone who swears that in another 20 years we will find out that the healthiest meal you can eat is a cheese burger, fries and a shake. I like his way of thinking.
Dianne
» left by sue tho from nj (133 days 16 hours ago.)
hi dianne, very clever, funny article with many truths. my dog just got a bath, complete wth conditioner (a malti poo with the same hair as ours) and is now lying in the sun. thanks for a nice perk me up, best regards, sue thom
» left by Dianne Lehmann(2,545) Dianne Lehmann (132 days 19 hours ago.)
Hi Sue. We should treat ourselves as well as we treat our dogs (pets). Thanks for reading my article.
Dianne
» left by Sandra E. Graham(2,091) Sandra E. Graham from Paragould, Arkansas, USA (132 days 15 hours ago.)
Nice article, Dianne. I haven't quite reached 99, but I am old enough that I eat what I want. My husband and I both enjoy eating out as most of our other hobbies have long since become too much for our old bodies. So now we just enjoy pondering which restaurant we will visit this day. Thanks for sharing. Sandra
» left by Dianne Lehmann(2,545) Dianne Lehmann (132 days 12 hours ago.)
Hi Sandra, Thank you for taking the time to comment. I've always imagined from looking at your photo that you enjoy gardening as a hobby and that's hard work. Now you can tell me how wrong I am. :) Dianne
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