Today, I was watching my two dogs, after I gave them dental bones. These two dogs love one another and will cuddle all the time. But when food is involved, it seems their personalities shift to “to each their own.” These dental bones can take a long time to chew and are weekly rewards. But each time I give them to the dogs, they approach the situation differently.
Puzo, the English Bulldog, is in his own world. His focus solely is on the bone entering his mouth and nothing else. Bella , the pug chihuahua mix, simply watches him and growls. She is focused on the future, knows he will finish his first, and then go for hers. Her preoccupation on him taking her bone, keeps her from enjoying the moment. Puzo finishes his bone, and I am the one who then takes away Bella’s, as a fight will inevitably ensue.
It led me to ponder, who are we when pleasure enters our lives?
Are we like Puzo, who lives in the moment and enjoys it for what it is?
Or are we like Bella, limiting our pleasure, because we know the moment will end?
How have you responded but also how do you want to respond? You have a choice on how you want to enjoy your own metaphorical dental bone!
Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones.- Seneca
It Only Takes A Smile 