Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Joy of a New Year - Finding Happiness in Life

The new year always brings the hope of new possibilities, new challenges, and, I think, new opportunities to find happiness in life. Mommy and I don't usually make new year's resolutions, because it often just lends itself to disappointment or unnecessary pressures. I chose a long time ago to try and just have a positive attitude about my life, and let God bless where He will bless, and teach where He will teach. Each one of us has challenges we must face on a daily basis. Because I try to find the joy in everything (that is what a Pixel does!), my struggles usually are about simple things, such as which toy do I play with and run through the house squeaking, do I cuddle on Mommy's right side or her left, and should I wrestle with the cat now or after I eat.
But I have had more serious struggles to deal with in my life as well. My tail was docked without my permission when I was just days old (before Mommy found me and saved me), and so I have had terribly painful difficulties with my tail nub my whole life. Mommy still gets upset at the thought that this maiming could be done to puppies unnecessarily, but she and I have found ways to cope with it and make my life as great as we can. She and my wonderful veterinarian finally found a very helpful nerve pain medicine that has gotten rid of most of the tail pain. But all in all, I don't let that medical issue stop me from being the best dog and friend I can be to my family and others.
Mommy and I saw a story once about a woman that was in a tragic accident and became paralyzed. She had an amazing spirit of perseverance through this life changing challenge, and when asked how she dealt with being paralyzed, she said something like this:  "Your life is not determined so much by what life brings to you...but by the attitude that you bring to life. It is not shaped so much by what happens to you, as by the way your mind and heart reacts with what happens to you. DO NOT FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CANNOT DO...FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO."  
To me, that means keep wagging your tail no matter what happens in your life. Keep trying, keep looking at the blessings, gifts and abilities you have, not on the things you do not have. I know I will never have a nice long tail like other dogs, but I have a little tiny nub that I still can wag like crazy every time I see my loved ones. I can still laugh, smile, jump for joy, do lots of cool little tricks and find all the joy that is right in front of me. It sure makes my life happier. My hope for each of us this new year, is to find that happiness in life. Look for it. Seek it out. Hunt it down and cling to it for dear life...just like I do with my squeaky toys. And most important of all, don't forget to share it. Believe me, it is well worth it!

10 comments:

  1. Hi. I am Mitzi JO. I too am a blogging dog. It is so nice to find another dog to share stories with. My blog is www.campjeans.com/blog/ I hope you check us out and say Hi. I try to blog at least once a week or whenever there is a good story. My lastest big adventure was doing a commercial for Nat. Geo TV for Ceasar Milan's show.

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  2. Hi Pixel! You are gorgeous! So nice to meet you and follow your adventures!

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    1. Hi Dr. V!
      Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for your sweet compliment. Mommy and I love your tweets and articles on your site.
      Have a great rest of the week my friend!
      Pixel

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  3. Pixel! I HATE, HATE it when they chop off Puppies' tails. I understand that they do this routine for certain breeds, like the mini schnauzer - your breed. My mommy and me just THINK THAT IS AWFUL that they did that to you. You will never know the fun of getting to wave your tail. I have a long tail, so I am just so heartbroken that you will never know the joy. Cruel, cruel people. I am glad that your mommy saved you and now that you have a good life.

    Love you!
    Gracie Lu

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  4. Hi Gracie,
    What a dear sweet friend you are! Yes, the only reason they did it to me was because of my 'breed standard' which makes no sense. (I have a little 'nub' about 1" long or so.) It is barbaric and I don't care what they say...it hurt when they did it when I was a few days old. Mommy spent years desperately trying to help me. I used to run around the house, trying to 'get away' from the stinging that the nerve pain was causing, usually after a 'good' event, which made the nerve endings go crazy. Mommy would just scoop me up and hold me so sweetly until I felt better. Now, though, I am on nerve pain medicine twice a day for my tail and it is 90% pain free! What a miracle!!
    I do get to wag my little nub, and Mommy loves it so! You know, tail docking is banned in the UK and Canada and some other Latin countries...Mommy has read up over the years. We want to help ban it in the U.S. Maybe I could be the official spokesdog, haha!
    Love you!
    Pixel

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  5. If we could all look at life the way you do, the world would be a much happier place. Keep on waggin`

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    1. Hello my friend,
      Thank you so much for your kind comments. It was so wonderful, I am going to tweet it today and give you credit. Have a wonderful day & please visit anytime. Would love to hear from you again.
      Keepin' on waggin'...Pixel

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    2. I am a firm believer that the world would be better off if it did go to the dogs. By the way, little dear, I follow you on Twitter under the same name.

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  6. You are lucky to have found a mommy who understands what you are going through, lots of people wouldn't get that. :-)

    I like your life outlook too, I try to be that way but sometimes things drag me down.

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  7. Hi Pixel, Tell your mom that she feels the exact same way about tail docking than mum and I. We are so happy it is banned in Australia (only in the last ten years or so) and we mini schnauzers have the most wonderful cute natural tails you can imagine. I'm sorry to hear about the problems you have had with your nubbin - stupid breeder person!! We are also REALLY REALLY against the ear "shaping" and have you heard about the barbaric use of glues to glue down the ears onto the head of some pups so that the ears "drape right" when they are older!!!!!!! Oh my lord! We get a lot of compliments about my tail and I wanted to do a blog post about it - so keep an eye out for it!!

    Nice to hear from you,Tail Wuggles, Rubie

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