I'VE GOT A PUPPY IN MY SOUL

Remember Annie the little girl with the bright sunny cheery positive disposition in the movie Pollyanna? Remember her song…

The sun'll come out tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
that tomorrow there’ll be sun!
Just thinkin' about tomorrow
clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow
'Til there's none!
When I'm stuck with a day that’s gray and lonely
I just stick out my chin and grin and say…
Oh! The sun'll come out tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on ‘til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow!
You're only a day away!


Of course I can say that I do a lot of Pollyanna resolve to my days. Because it isn’t always that I wear a big grin on my face. I get lucky to succeed half of the time but then even that half crumbles down when these Five Bandits creep slyly into my territory.


Here’s who they are.


Bandit#1 - WEARINESS

Oh yes, how life can truly weary us down – family – children – finances – health – school – job – business – religion – community – and lots more. Each or collectively, sometimes simultaneously, bear down on me like a landslide down a towering steep mountain and which mercilessly buries me under the heap. Easy to die with but I’m expected to rise from the rubble fit and sprightly ready to have another go at it – at life in general. Who wouldn’t weary with that?! That’s certain to drain the life out of a monster.


Bandit#2 - WORRY

Worry is a joy-crasher; it robs you out of the thrill and fun of your day or days -- Of life itself. I’m an expert at worrying. I worry bout a lot of things --- from is it going to rain today –to- what am I going to tell the maid to cook tonight. From what am I going to wear –to- why is Miko the cat blinking like that-is he sick? From what is my friend up to now with a plane ticket for Africa –to- that tree across my window has its branch hitting the telephone pole, my telephone pole. Worry is my eternal bedmate!


Bandit#3 - LONELINESS

Oh but some days can just be so darn lonely. The book has gone stale, TV is terrible, music seems unappealing, and food unappetizing to the palate. Children out of the home, friends nowhere around, and nothing that I ever do brings any comfort at all. Where do I go from here?


Bandit#4 - FEAR

Many things hold me in agitation and fright Silly? But true. It’s easy to push my panic button. Just do me one of these things… but I hope you don’t think of doing it all!! --- Centipedes, snakes, strangers, speeding cars, mountain tops, kidnappers, hijackers, thieves, fire, flood, lightning, health crisis, financial bungle, and dozens more known and unknown to me Ugh!! And last but certainly not the least --- the uncertain future!


Bandit#5 - BOREDOM

When boredom hits, everything goes monotonous, tedious, dull, dreary, unexciting, and everything else that points to a blah-blah day. Everything seems to stand still, tenaciously and resolutely. I can’t even get myself to lift a finger (not even my tiny finger!) to do something – anything – to get the wheels moving – grinding – bungling – just anything to get me out of this and into the light. I was hoping cappuccino would do the trick but it didn’t this time. Aaargh!!

So what do I DO? Here's WHAT...!!


Guys, meet my MAXIE! :-)

- She’s now 6 months old, of police dog lineage, and was given to me by my daughter’s friend last December. Maxie eats cat food-dog food-meat-fish-mangoes-vegetables-pizza. And drinks rather slurps down fruit juice-milk-cola and loves water every minute of the day; romps around the garage playing with her bone-shaped rubber toy; jumps into the kiddie plastic pool chasing after water bubbles she herself created splashing around; pokes her nose at Lucky and Buddy's noses prodding them on to play with her; wags her tail no-end for the slightest reason; and sleeps stretched out fully on my bed! Nothing fazes Maxie. I see not one thing that could ever deter, daunt, intimidate, scare, put off, frighten, bully, or dampen her high spirits. She may back off a bit but will come raging back in with even more gusto and joy. She's a happy puppy -- yesterday, today, tomorrow.

Why am I telling you this? Because I have regained my resolve but it’s not the sweet little girl or the feel-good song…


I’VE GOT A PUPPY IN MY SOUL :-) .


Cheerio, folks! God bless you… and the puppy in your soul too! J


posted on Friday, May 04, 2007 9:13 AM