Happy Birthday To Me: 15 Lessons I Learned From My Dog

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. Today is my 49th birthday, and I have been sitting here thinking about what that means. Almost a half a century. I am not sure what that is supposed to feel like, but I can tell you it does not feel the way I imagined it would when I was thirty.

Every year on my birthday I like to share the lessons I have been learning. And this year, I have to be honest with you — my best teacher has not been a book, or a trip, or even a hard conversation. It has been Munchen.

Munchen is my dachshund, my shadow, my small brown companion through nearly every hour of my days. She has been with me through moves and losses and long evenings and early mornings. She does not read books or give advice or know a single thing about International Relations. She just lives, completely and without reservation, in whatever moment she is in. And I have decided that is the wisest thing I 

So this year, 15 lessons from my dog.

1. Live in the Moment.

2. Savor the simple things — a ride in the car, a good nap, a sunny spot on the floor.

3. Never miss a change to snuggle with the one that you love.

4. Greet everyone that you meet with enthuasium.

5. You don’t need a lot of friends in life. Just one good one who will always be there for you.

6. Savor the time with the people that you love. One day they will no longer be there.

7. Always be curious about the world around you.

8. Live life to the fullest.

9. Always be loyal, faithful and loving.

10. There is nothing that a nap, a treat, or a hug can’t fix.

11. Every day is a new day, a special day, and every day is precious.

12. Love unconditionally.

13. Always run to greet your loved ones.

14. Even though your heart is breaking, it is a blessing to hold your loved one as they take their last breath and leave this world to go on to the next.

15. Dog is God spelled backwards.

I think it is true that there are lessons to be learned every day, from everyone around us, if we are paying attention. Munchen pays attention to everything. The birds outside the window. The sound of my husband’s car in the driveway. The exact moment I get up from my chair. She misses nothing.

I hope I am getting better at that.

Thank you, as always, for being here. This little corner of the internet would not be what it is without you, and I do not take that for granted. Not for a single day.

Has a pet ever taught you something you weren’t expecting to learn? I would love to hear about it.

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