ALWAYS WAG YOUR TAIL

ALWAYS. ALWAYS. ALWAYS WAG YOUR TAIL. This is what our dog Sandy has taught me over the last 11 years. If you remember she was the lovely pup we adopted from the shelter. And literally from that day forward, I have been a different person. Different in how I look at unconditional love, different in how I see that even the smallest things can make a huge impact, different in that she taught me to be joyful.

It was often noted at the veterinarian’s office during an office visit just how happy Sandy was…..even while having her temperature taken or receiving a vaccination. She would constantly wag her tail. And I mean constantly. We all know that a dog wagging their tail means they are happy. Well Sandy must have been elated for the most part of her life. I can only remember one time in her life when she was not wagging her tail.

We lost Sandy unexpectedly this morning and she is deeply missed. But we must focus on the positive aspects of this situation. She is in heaven now and resting comfortable….no pain, no suffering. She had a fantastic life….rescued from the pound, rising above some uncertain circumstances, learning how to live life to the fullest and giving all of us unconditional love beyond what was expected. Sandy was one of those dogs that left such a lasting impression on those around her….this makes it harder to say good-bye.

There are many things that Sandy has taught us over the years (mainly the entire part of our married life!) and we will be forever thankful for these things. She seemed like one of those dogs that had an old soul….wise beyond her years and very intuitive. She knew when Miles was sick and kept watch of all our babies….literally. Her first favorite spot was behind the rocking chair in the nursery after each child was born (she even wore a spot in the carpet!). She would be found here constantly for months following the birth of each child. As the kids grew, her favorite spot migrated to our closet where she slept on a fluffy blanket. She would often greet us nightly and each morning in her favorite new spot.

Sandy was unique, this is for sure. She LOVED to climb on the back-yard swing-set equipment and you could often find her hanging out on the 8 ft high tree house with the kids. She even liked to slide down the kids slide. Her favorite outside spot was the picnic table on the patio- she sat there watching and waiting for whatever the world brought to her next! She loved the very hot weather and brutally cold winter mornings. We often could not convince her to come in during either weather condition. She loved to give kisses and was there to welcome love whenever anyone wanted. It is very hard to describe, but she was like no other dog I have ever known. And her most notable trait was her tail wag. She wagged her tail when she was hungry. She wagged her tail when she was sick. She wagged her tail when she needed to go out. She wagged her tail when we came home. She wagged her tail when it was time to eat. She wagged her tail when she needed to go ‘home’.

So I ask each of you. Do you wag your tail? Are you taking in all life has to offer? Are you making the most of every day? Are you living life the way God has intended? Ask yourself these questions and if you answer no to any of them, remind yourself that you should ALWAYS WAG YOUR TAIL!