Live like Lance
Reposted from lanceandlili.com
I often tell people Lance lived his life with a sense of gratitude. Despite his abusive past, Lance was a big cuddle bug who wanted nothing more than to be with his people and get lots of love and food. I always felt like Lance was thankful for everything he got in life. I think he remembered what kind of life he had before he was rescued and knew he hit the doggy jackpot when he landed in a home where two people wanted to spoil him every day of his life. It’s been three months since Lance passed and I miss him like crazy, but I like to think about what he taught me about life.
Three things Lance taught me about life:
1-Rolling in the grass is fun!
Lance mastered the art of stop, drop, and roll. Rarely did we go out on a walk where he did not end up rolling in the grass at some point. I would be thankful when there was nothing messy in that patch of grass, if you know what I mean. And he would have the biggest look of joy while doing it and didn’t have a care in the world.
What that taught me was we all need to have something in our lives that brings us complete joy and we don’t care who stops and stares at us while we do it. When was the last time you did something purely for the enjoyment of it, even if no one else around you wanted to join you?
For me, one thing in life I do completely for me is to see Chris Isaak in concert. I may not roll around on the ground when I see him, but I do have a great time. Boyfriends and friends who have gone to shows with me have come and gone, but I don’t go for anyone else, I go for me.
2- We all need our own village.
It wasn’t always easy living with Lancypants. Shortly after we got him home, we started noticing things with his behavior. I got in touch with our trainer, Marnie Montgomery with Joyful Dog, and we made an appointment to see Dr. Amy Pike, an incredible veterinary behaviorist. They started us on the road to working with a dog with more behavior issues than we knew how to deal with and we had to have people around us, including vets and dog sitters, who could work with a dog who did not always like people and was reactive in many different ways. We could not have had seven years with Lance without the help of all these great people who were so helpful to us and loved Lance, even if he was rough around the edges. Many, many thanks to Animal Behavior Wellness Center, Joyful Dog, Barking with the Bradleys, VSCR rehab in Leesburg, and Around Midnight.
It’s the same way in life. We all need people in our corner who can help us when we need it. When I started my career in pet photography, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I needed to find resources to help me become a better pet photographer. I found it in places like Hair of the Dog and Unleashed. These have been great resources for me to learn the art and business of pet photography. And because of these resources, I found a group of friends who understand what I do for a living and get the craziness of rolling around on the ground (hey, I guess I did learn that from Lance) to get the perfect photo of your pet.
If you decide to embark on a new adventure in your life, don’t be afraid to ask for help and find your village. They will be there to help and support you. And if your current village isn’t supporting you, go find another one. Life is too short to be with people who don’t understand your passions in life and want the best for you.
3- Live a life of gratitude.
I always felt like Lance never forgot where he came from in life. While Lance had his behavior issues, he was a happy boy. Even in his last few months of life when he was dealing with shoulder issues, he wanted to jump up to give us kisses and so often had his goofy smile on his face. He loved sleeping in a bed with his people, was happy when he got chicken nuggies from Chick-Fil-A, and even though he had a crappy past, he didn’t let that keep him from being happy with his life.
I started keeping a gratitude journal a few years ago. It has helped remind me numerous times that no matter what has gone on in my life, there is always something to be thankful for. Some days, it’s as simple as looking outside and seeing a beautiful sunset. Other days, I’m thankful for having good friends and family.
But I will forever be thankful for the seven years I got to have with my sweet Lance.
He is and will always be a good boy.