Ollie has no worries

By John ‘Butch’ Dale
Guest Columnist

John ‘Butch’ Dale

Don’t you just hate watching the news on TV? It usually puts me in a bad mood, and I start thinking of all of the problems of today. After turning off the news in disgust the other evening, I looked down at Ollie, our Goldendoodle. He hadn’t been watching the news. He could care less. He was laying on his back by my wife’s recliner, legs up in the air, tongue hanging out … resting comfortably … no worries in the world.

Yes, Ollie has a few moods and feelings. Sometimes he gets excited, or scared, or bored, or lonely … but most of the time he is just plain old happy! So why can’t we humans be happy? I think it’s because we think about too many problems that we really can’t do much about anyway, and subsequently we forget about the things we are blessed with. I think we would be better off if we acted like Ollie … for instance …

Whenever visitors arrive at our house, Ollie runs to and fro, jumping with joy … he is so excited! They instantly become Ollie’s best friend. He loves everyone and wants to be petted, and in return … lick their face! Humans are just the opposite, as we tend to be distrustful of almost every stranger. Many people have no desire to meet anyone new, and never strike up a conversation with a stranger. Trust in people has almost vanished.

Many people have forgotten how to enjoy simple pleasures. Not Ollie! It doesn’t matter what the weather is, or if it’s his dinner time, or if he is sleeping … if I grab his squeaky ball, he runs to the door and is ready for PLAYTIME! I throw the ball, he runs as fast as he can, clinches it in his choppers, proudly marches back … displaying his catch, and waits for another throw. Ollie would literally do this for hours and hours and not want to go inside. If I go for a walk and take Ollie, he is all over the place … smelling things, chasing critters, running to and fro. Happy as a lark …j ust on a simple walk down the road.

Ollie is also very affectionate … VERY affectionate. When we are at work, he has to stay in his pen all afternoon. But when we arrive home, Ollie goes BONKERS!!! You would think that he had not seen us in 10 years. He wants to be with my wife and me at all times. Ollie also likes all other dogs who might come his way … that is … after he checks ’em out the good ol’ dog way. … Then he wants to play! It seems that nowadays many people just want to be left alone. At one time in our small town, people walked around the neighborhood, visited with neighbors and relatives, and enjoyed meeting anyone new to the community. Now they just stay home and park themselves in front of the TV or computer. So sad. …

I know several people who are obsessed with accumulating as many material things as they can … the more expensive, the better. They must have that new car. They are not satisfied with their new house … and want a larger one. Need more jewelry, need more clothes, need more playthings. Their goal in life is to possess as many material things as possible, keep up with … and show off more … than the Jones’s down the street. Not our Ollie. His squeaky ball is enough to satisfy his desires. And when I give him a rawhide treat bone in the evening, you would have thought he’d had won a trip to the American Kennel Club Dog Show! Ollie knows that happiness does not depend on how many things you own.

Well, we are human … we can never become a dog. Besides, I don’t particularly want to have people pet me, and I in turn lick their face. I definitely prefer my coffee and Diet Pepsi, rather than sneaking in to drink out of the toilet, as Ollie sometimes does when we forget to close the lid.

On the other hand, maybe we all should ask God to let us become a dog … just for one day. We could learn a lot from Ollie.