Shortly after the ball drop, the humans start talking about "resolutions." If you ask me, the only resolution worth making is "I resolve to give Bea more Snausages," but to date no one has made that one.
Resolutions are one of those human things we dogs just don't get. Humans say things like, "I resolve to spend more time with my family." Then something will happen like you get the flu, or there's a birthday you have to prepare for, or you have to a deadline at work, and boom! All of a sudden you feel guilty about breaking your resolution, and we dogs have to spend the rest of the winter cheering you up about it (in between dropping the kids off at school, choir practice, grocery shopping, getting the car in for an oil change, potluck suppers, midnight trips to the pharmacy… etc., etc., etc.)
Now, a dog resolution would be much more short-term: "I resolve to eat my whole bowl of food in less than 45 seconds!" or "I resolve to pull down that adorable holiday bear in the foyer and chew it to pieces as soon as you can't see!"
Dogs are not much for delayed gratification.
So maybe that's something you can learn from dogs this year: Enjoy the moment. Take time to make yourself happy. Go ahead, it's just as important as all that other stuff. Watch the birds in the snow. Get a cup of hot chocolate -- the really good kind you don't usually splurge on. Look for pictures in the clouds while you're waiting to pick up the kids. Share a meal with each other, not the TV -- even if it's take-out. Give the dog a tummy rub and an extra treat. (That last one is probably the most important.)
Believe me, no one ever says, "I wish I'd gotten the car in for one more tune-up," or "I should have been a better grocery shopper." They hold me in their laps and they say things like "I wish I'd spent more time with my kids."
Think about it: Enjoy the moment. You have a whole new year to practice.
