There is nothing like a scary, rare diagnosis to help you understand that life is just a series of days and we need to live them as best we can. "Live without regret" has been my motto for a long time; I've always tried to make choices and engage in the world around me in a way that I can look back and feel good about. Before discovering the mass, I thought I was doing a pretty good job living this way, but then I realized there are still a lot of things I want to do before I die.
One thing that was on the list until recently was to get a puppy. This decision seemed to walk the fine line between being an amazing idea or a very bad one, and I wasn’t sure how to decide. We got Shiro when she was already trained, and even that was a lot. Plus, we already have 4 animals. The people outnumber the pets with four; why in the world would we add a fifth?
But, since Pink/Falcon went off to college with Momo, it feels like there just hasn't been enough boisterous energy in the house. Also, if you get one dog, then you gotta get a second one. Otherwise, the first one can only access half of their capacity for joy, which robs you of joy you didn't even know you needed. With two dogs, you have twice as much chance of having a dog who will fetch a ball and bring it to you. That's fun!
Meet Louie. I luff Louie very much. So does Shiro.
Should we have gotten a puppy just a few weeks before a major surgery that would keep me in the hospital for six days? Probably not. But, I’m on sabbatical and our breeder had the perfect fit for us. Also, I was in denial about having the surgery.
Ultimately, I decided that every decision that brought a new soul into the house has added crazy, but it has also added a richness I didn’t even know was missing from my life.
So, keep making the unexpected choices. Make your life more complicated. Do the thing you’ve been thinking about doing. Live!
