A DOG'S PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE

Sandra Wiseman Smith • 25 April 2024

WE NEED A DOG'S PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE!

Imagine for a moment you're a dog......wouldn’t it be great just to flop down on your back in the cool green grass and view life from a dog's perspective? Just take a little time out of your busy day and simply enjoy  being alive?!

LET'S RELAX

I know I need to take my own advice and think like my dog, Blue, lol. She has a great perspective on life! And I'm finally beginning to understand her outlook--at this stage of my life I can see that rushing around, stuffing life full of activity and crazy schedules, is NOT a good thing!! I hate to admit it, but I used to pride myself on being complicated and hard to figure out. I was always doing something. I thought it was a good thing to cram as much as possible into a conversation or a letter, a closet, a day... you name it. How exhausting!! Generally, I left no room for margins. It only got me behind, cluttered my life, and left me feeling completely overwhelmed. How about you? Do you see yourself caught up in the same predicament?

Side view of a German Shepherd dog holding a bone between her paws, lying on the green grass.

WE NEED A DOG'S PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE!

Imagine for a moment you're a dog......wouldn’t it be great just to flop down on your back in the cool green grass and view life from a dog's perspective? To take a little time out of your busy day and simply enjoy being alive?!

LET'S RELAX

I know I need to take my own advice and think like my dog, Blue, lol. She has a great perspective on life! And I'm finally beginning to understand her outlook--at this stage of my life I can see that rushing around, stuffing life full of activity and crazy schedules, is NOT a good thing!! I hate to admit it, but I used to pride myself on being complicated and hard to figure out. Not only that but I was always doing something. I thought it was a good thing to cram as much as possible into a conversation or letter, a closet, a day...you name it. How exhausting!! Generally, I left no room for margins. It only got me behind, cluttered my life, and left me feeling completely overwhelmed. How about you? Do you see yourself caught up in the same predicament?

Side view of a German Shepherd dog holding a bone between her paws, lying on green grass.
Comical close-up view of a blue-eyed German Shepherd's snout and face.
Light tan and black German Shepherd lying on her back holding a long stick in her mouth, lying on green grass.

SLOW DOWN

For me, it’s often very difficult to say, “NO” sometimes, especially when practically everything fascinates me. I want to try it all, but there are limits to how far one can spread herself, lol. Can you relate? I believe I’m finally learning the value of REST and the place it should have in our lives. My husband is good at rest but as for this 'Type A' woman, it's taken me years longer to learn the lesson. Now that our children are grown and I have grandchildren close by, for health's sake, God is definitely using this season of my life to slow my pace.

LIVE SIMPLY

Living simply is now a necessity. I must be less complicated in my schedule and my menu choices, my chosen activities, or even in my relationships......whatever. Not only for myself and our family; I need the time to pass along helpful tips and practical life lessons to you. Thus, in my writing I hope to help those of you who want to slow your race to a walk and smell the flowers......or watch the clouds......or chew on a bone, lol.

Comical close-up view of a blue-eyed German Shepherd's snout and face.
Light tan and black German Shepherd lying on her back holding a long stick in her mouth, lying on green grass.

SLOW DOWN

For me, it’s often very difficult to say, “NO” sometimes, especially when practically everything fascinates me. I want to try it all, but there are limits as to how far one can spread herself! Can you relate? I believe I’m finally beginning to learn the value of REST and the place it should have in our lives. My husband is good at rest but as for this 'Type A' woman, it's taken me years longer to learn the lesson. Now that our children are grown and my grandchildren are nearby, for health's sake, God is using this season of my life to slow my pace.

LIVE SIMPLY

Living simply is now a necessity. I must learn to be less complicated in my schedule and my menu choices, my chosen activities or even in my relationships.....whatever. Not only for myself and our family; I need the time now to pass on helpful tips and practical life lessons to you. Thus, in my writing, I hope to help those of you who desire to slow your race to a walk and smell the flowers......or watch the clouds......or chew on a bone, lol.

ENJOY LIFE

My passion, if you struggle in this way as well, is to help you learn to enjoy life more, and to share ways that you can simplify your days. I would sincerely like to spare you pain and trouble without your need to reinvent the wheel.


Not that I won’t stay busy doing things I love. I plan, though, to be much more intentional about prioritizing my days. I want every moment to count for the Kingdom of God because we have only one opportunity in this life to fulfill our God-given destiny. And because, in a word, simplicity itself is beautiful!!


Eccl. 3:1-14 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

Light tan and black German Shepherd lying on her back, curled up with her tail between her legs, lying on green grass

Photography by Jessica Katherine Smith

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