Sticking To Joy
Sunday, April 11th, 2010In keeping with the wise dog theme I started yesterday, I’m calling on the wisdom of my own dog, Muggins, today. Muggins went from physical to nonphysical form on October 19, 2009. She’d been with me in physical form for 17 years and 17 days.
Muggins was a 40 pound Springer spaniel who loved life. One of her favorite parts of life was carrying big sticks.
On our beach walks, Muggins routinely carried huge sticks. She was a master at finding the fulcrum point of the stick—even if it was way off center—and then lifting her head to carry sticks that weighed more than she did. I was used to seeing her do this, but two of the sticks she carried were SO big (one over 8 feet long) that I had to haul them home and keep them for posterity.
After Muggins moved into nonphysical, Tim sanded the sticks and put a coat of polyurethane on them. They’re in our bedroom, a memorial to our beloved Muggins.
Last week, a friend who knew Muggins but hadn’t been in our house before, came over. I’d told her about Muggins’ stick carrying in the past, so I showed her the sticks. She put her hand on one and said, “No! She couldn’t have carried these! They’re so big!” My friend lifted one of the sticks. “No!” she repeated. “That’s too heavy for a dog Muggins’ size.”
I assured her that Muggins did indeed carry those sticks, and Tim pointed out that when Muggins carried them, they were saturated with water so they were even heavier then and even bigger because he’d sanded them down since then.
Our friend was amazed. “I believe you,” she said, “but it seems impossible.”
And so it does. How did a small dog carry such big sticks?
She did it with joy.
Muggins LOVED carrying those sticks. Her eyes lit up when she found one and set about figuring out how to carry it. She carried her sticks with her head high, a prance to her walk.
When people driving by on the beach slowed and pointed at her (it really was an amazing sight), she raised her head even higher and fluttered her tail. She was something, and she knew it.
She knew something else too. She knew how to do the seemingly impossible. You do it by feeling such joy for your task that you don’t do the work … the universe does it for you.
Muggins was a great teacher in my life; but I’m a slower learner sometimes. I’m just getting her lesson. You don’t have to exert when you act from a good-feeling place. When you act from a good-feeling place, the universe does the work for you.
I used to take all action according to a strict AGENDA that I created from a GOAL-DRIVEN place of great DISCIPLINE. What did it get me? Not a whole lot worth talking about.
My work these days comes from a totally different place. I act from a place of delight. And if the delight isn’t there, I don’t act. Where is this taking me?
I don’t know yet. I’ll keep you posted.
But in the meantime, I’m sure having a good time.
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