Each year, rather than making New Year resolutions, I plan for goals—and hope that the journey along the way proves equally rewarding. Rather than say, “lose weight” I instead want to strive for good health. All plans for the past two years flew out the window, though.
Our family came out the other side quite bruised, after first losing Bravo-Dawg in March and then my 93-year-old Mom in October. Still, we’re better off than many others. I treasure my resilient family—my husband, y’all know as “M,” my brothers and their families, including a delightful great nephew and great niece, and my young-at-heart 94-year-old artist father.
We have high hopes for 2022—and the hope shines strong in part because of the special pets of our past, our present, and sometimes the surprise pets that show up when you need them most.
It’s also become a tradition to take stock of the past year from a pets’-eye-view, and the year to come. Throughout the challenges, our pets keep us laughing even through tears. Look for the surprise blessings that bring joy despite the heartache. So here are New Year Pet Goals from Karma-Kat, Shadow-Pup, and a couple from the spirits of Bravo-Dawg, Magical-Dawg, and Seren-Kitty, with commentary by Amy.
2022 New Year Goals–from Magic
Magical-Spirit: “I will remind my humans daily to cherish each joy, and remember me with smiles.”
Amy: He loved fetch clear up to his last day with us, and found joy in every sniff, sound, treat, touch or game. I take it as a message to us to lighten up…and even wrote a song about him (someday I’ll get it recorded). So my new year pet goals include being more like Magic and to pay attention to everyday miracles of the touch of soft fur, smell of rain in the wind in my face, to find music in every brash or quiet sound, relish each taste whether tears or treats, and open my eyes to every glorious sunrise, storm cloud and rainbow in my life.
2022 New Year Goals–from Seren
Seren-Spirit: “I will remind my humans to ignore pesky aggravations like cat-brothers, stare down intimidating challenges (even if they’re 15 times your size like Magic), and find a sunny place to doze in every situation.”
Amy: Seren remained in charge, the Queen of the house, to her last breath. A bit of a curmudgeon despite her tiny size, Seren ran our house and hearts with a benevolent paw. Read about her Christmas gift here… She never let arthritis stand in the way of a smidge of chicken, constantly reminded Karma who held the sharpest claws, and taught Magic—and her humans—what aging gracefully means. My new year pet goals include living like Seren, focusing on goals rather than roadblocks, to stop complaining about age (not everyone gets the blessing of a long life), and give myself permission to turn off work and take a sun-puddle nap.
2022 New Year Goals–from Bravo
Bravo-Spirit: “I will visit Amy in dreams to remind her that now I always catch the RED-DOT-DEMON. And I get to play bity-face tooth-fencing with the spirit of a special German Shepherd Boy who sometimes lets me win. And I miss treats, but don’t need them anymore, but I always cherish and live on because of the memory of our love.”
Amy: Bravo began the year after successfully completing all his chemo, and remained a gentle, goofy sweetheart despite losing 21 pounds (and his right front leg) due to cancer–we thought he beat it. During his months of treatment, he kept his boundless energy. Bravo moved as fast with three legs as four, and let nothing stand in the way of a good time—especially lap-cuddling, chasing cats, or wresting the Shadow-Pup. The day after he passed, Bravo returned to me with a slurp across my face, and stayed long enough for me to see him whole, healthy, and happy. So my new year pet goals include letting nothing get in the way of enjoying life–spending time in the garden, creating and enjoying music and stained glass, sharing laughter with family and friends, and treasuring even the sad memories that leave tear-tracks of past joy on our hearts.
2022 New Year Goals–from Karma
Karma-Kat: “I will stalk and tease and pounce on Amy’s feet, play “gravity experiments” on tabletops, take towel-surfing rides across the carpet, rattle window blinds, paw-dig at the TV screen, and wrestle and tooth-fence with Shadow-Pup, what fun! Oh, and eat treetz, lotsa treetz.”
Amy: Karma always loved his dog brothers–and was rescued by Magic. When Bravo got sick, Karma worried over him, snuggled down next to the big dawg’s painful shoulder. He stopped his teasing while Bravo recovered from his amputation. Karma didn’t appreciate Shadow-Pup at first. He finally decided if Bravo liked the pup, he must be okay. He now teases and wrestles Shadow to get him in trouble. Having a pair of rowdy pets zooming around the furniture offers treat entertainment for them. Shadow and Karma sleep together each evening. But Karma needs more one-on-one games, too, where he doesn’t need to compete with the cat-food-stealing pup. More new year pet goals are to play interactive chase games with Karma each day, and add more bird feeders and baths by the windows for better cat-TV fun he craves and deserves.
2022 New Year Goals–from Shadow
Shadow-Pup: “I will play-play-play, chase Karma up the cat tree, catch him and play squish-the-cat. And I will slurp away Amy’s tears when she’s sad, and do head-stands in her lap, and zooooooooom around the fenced yard! Then I’ll do it again. And again. And …”
Amy: Shadow appeared, a dumped puppy, at our front gate on May 31st ten days after we found out about Bravo’s cancer. During a time of unrelenting fear and anxiety, this joyful puppy brought boundless fun into Bravo’s pain-filled world. And gave us all hope. Like most pups, he has no off-switch and his “escapes” have brought us some scary moments. Last year’s goal included a secure fence for a safe play area. And this year’s new year pet goal continues the project, updating the landscaping and including a memory garden for past pets. He’s also as smart as Magical-Dawg. We also intend to invest in the “talking” buttons to see what Shadow-Pup has to say (I think Karma-Kat may also throw in a few words).
Some Final 2022 New Year Goals–from Spirit-Pets
Magic-Spirit, Seren-Spirit, Bravo-Spirit: “We will train Amy that there’s more to nine lives than paw-tapping and staring at a boxy computer-thing. Like catnip, and whisker-kisses, lap snuggles and ball-tug games. And we will train Amy that playing with pets is more fun than anything else. AND we will train Amy that there’s no such thing as too many treats–or of love that ever ends. But time together—however long or short the time—is the best thing of all.”
Amy: My ultimate New Year pet goals are to listen to my furry muses. What about you?
PAST NEW YEAR POSTS:
I started to delete these, and then decided to save them here. After all, some of my furry muses commented on these posts.
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Sorry for all of your losses. I know how hard it is to lose a beloved pet, as I have lost several.
I’m sorry for your losses, too, Carol. Thank you for your kindness.
Beautiful, Amy…..
We have lost a pet each year for the past five years. This has changed perspective . Thank you.
I pray this year will be better for all of us.
This was sad, but nicely done. Better 2022.
Yes, better for us all. Thanks Frank.
Sorry for all of your losses. I know how hard it is to lose a beloved pet. IU rally enjoy reading all of your posts.
Thank you for your kindness.
Thank you as this post always brings a smile to my face. I have not followed you all of the years so it was so special to read all the past years. You are a good person and have had some good companions over the years. I am a gsd owner myself and have lost them over the years so I love reading about Magic. Sorry about the losses from the year.
Thanks for sharing–and for your kind words. Treasure your GSD, they’re wonderful! (of course!)