i’m made for this day 
strategic planning 
enjoying the fruits of my labor
Choices. They can sure cause stress if we let them. Stress. If you let it, it can turn you into a real dog. My advice…. let it! Trust me, i’m a dog, and i have no stress. Hard to believe? Allow me to take you on a journey.
One day last week, we’ll call it Thursday, i was relaxing in the living room enjoying a midday session of chewing and chomping and licking and loving a frozen bone marrow bone given to me to occupy my time. There is not much i love more in the middle of the day than to sink my teeth into a delicious bone marrow bone. (Sometimes i think mom slips them to me to keep me out of the way if she wants some Phil-free quiet time, but that is only my sneaking suspicion.) I digress. If you haven’t ever taken a timeout to indulge in your favorite snack as a midday pastime, you really must.
While i was chewing or chomping, i can’t recall which, i noticed Molly eyeing up my action. I didn’t care because i was happy, so i kept on keeping on, but a minute later wouldn’t you know it, she crept right over and snatched my bone away from me. Dirty dog!
Shocked, and slightly appalled, i stared at her in disbelief. Though i could have put forth a more noble effort to defend my treasure, i figured there would be other bones on other days, so i rolled over, sighed, and took a nap. Ten minutes later, Molly was done gnawing on her stolen booty, so i roused myself from a gentle sleep, got up, reclaimed my prize, and returned to licking and loving my midday moment. No stress, no ulcers. True story. I had chosen well doggone it.
Looking back at that day, i am reminded there is a special day that occurs only once a year. Actually, there are quite a few days that occur only once a year. Actually, every day occurs only once a year.
What?
My point is that of all the days that occur only once each year, there is one day that is more special than the rest to the dogs of my house.
Christmas Tree Day
Christmas tree day is the culmination of all the days before it, and it is the beginning of all the days left to come after. It is a marathon, but it is our day!
Christmas tree day commences at 8 a.m. with a walk to burn some calories before a full day of indulgence, and it ends whenever the last living creature falls asleep on the sofa or in a chair (i’m a dog, i don’t do the floor) with a tall, fine Christmas tree proudly displayed in the corner. What happens in between is what we should all live for, even if we don’t celebrate Christmas!
Christmas tree day means tailgating, eating, laughing, movie-watching and most importantly playing, hopefully, in the snow. I love to play, and when it comes to snowy play, it’s kind of a big deal. I’ve got the look for a snowy day of play, but more importantly, i’ve got the mind. Even if it rains on Christmas tree day, i still go out and play because what matters most is doing it. I want to be out there because i can. I want to be with my friends because i can. I want to use this day because i can.
Sure, i can stay home too. I can send out a few tweets, post some pics to my instagram, or type up a quick dog blog, but i can also do all those things another day. Like my bone marrow bone, they will always be there.
There will always be pups who choose to stay home or skip out on Christmas tree day, it is their choice after all, but there are also Cerberus impersonators who i encounter that day without fail. These are the big dogs, the ones with too much stress in their life, the ones who would rather be anywhere other than where they are, the ones who see this day as a chore, or—and i shudder here— the ones i sometimes hear say, “just pick a damn tree”… WTF?! (what the fur ball)
Christmas tree day, like every other day that occurs only once a year, is a choice. Choices can cause stress, and stress can make you into a dog. Let it. i’m a dog, i love life, and i have flaws. i’m perfect. imperfect. Just. Like. You.