Lessons from Leo V
Leo—my family’s extraordinarily sweet and quirky fox-colored lab—turns five on Sunday, which means it’s time for the fifth installment of “Lessons from Leo”!
Leo joined our family in November 2019, right before the COVID pandemic slammed the world. While my husband and I were sheltering in place on our farm, we felt incredibly blessed to have an exuberant puppy who brought boundless joy, love, and laughter into an otherwise extremely stressful and sobering time.
Ten-week-old Leo
My first blog featuring life lessons from Leo was shared when he was just a few months old, and it’s become an annual tradition. So here we go—five new lessons from Leo in honor of his fifth birthday!
Five-year-old Leo loves to chew on his food dish after his meals
1) Shake up your routine. Leo is very unpredictable. While every other dog we’ve had embraced the regularity of routines, Leo’s behavior appears to be fairly random. For example, while our older dog Henry always immediately settles down for the night at the foot of our bed, we never know what room Leo will wander into after returning from the last walk of the day.
As a highly scheduled person who habitually adheres to a set routine, I’m grateful that Leo continually reminds me to shake things up. Spontaneity and variety make life much more interesting and enjoyable, and research confirms that straying from the monotony of a set routine stimulates new ideas, helps us break free from bad habits, and makes us more adaptable to change.
2) Ask for help when you need it. Leo is a very independent fellow, but when his ball rolls under our bed, he gets stuck in a frustrating predicament that he’s unable to solve with his own four paws. Looking at his out-of-reach ball and then back at us with beseeching eyes, Leo never feels guilty or self-conscious asking for help. My husband Drew or I come to his rescue, using a stick that lives close by in our closet for just this purpose.
I appreciate the example Leo sets, because requesting favors has always been hard for me. But since it’s impossible to go through life without being vulnerable and needing support, I’m grateful that Leo is helping me get more comfortable asking for assistance. He’s also helped me realize that allowing people to help gives them a sense of purpose and satisfaction. Drew and I always enjoy witnessing Leo’s glee upon being reunited with his toy—a moment of being well-appreciated heroes, albeit, in the humblest of ways.
Back when Henry was five and Leo was a little pup
3) Know when to step up. The seasons never stop turning, and aging is one of life’s unavoidable realities. Our beloved dog Henry will turn ten next month, and although he’s still healthy and active, he no longer has the impressive athleticism or the incredible vertical leap he was famous for when he was young. For the first years of Leo’s life, Henry was the one jumping high off the ground to harvest plums and apples from upper tree branches for them both to enjoy. Now it’s Henry who waits patiently, paws on the ground, while Leo does the leaping. Watching this shift happen slowly over time helps me accept the inevitable cycles of life. For all of us, there is a time to step up, as well as a time to step down.
Leo harvesting plums
4) Take your clues from within. Leo enjoys life moment by moment, never fixated on earning praise from humans. Drew describes Leo as someone in a silent disco wearing a headset that’s playing different music from the rest of the crowd. With so much external pressure to conform and please other people ahead of ourselves, Leo is a much-appreciated role model of self-loyalty and steadfast individuality.
5) Spread smiles and laughter. I’m grateful that Leo constantly encourages me to approach life with more light-hearted humor. My sweet, quirky pup always inspires smiles and laughter, both of which stimulate the release of dopamine, endorphins and serotonin—feel-good hormones that alleviate stress, elevate our mood, and help us stay positive.
Leo reminds me that emotions are contagious, and that everything we do has an impact on those around us. Like Leo, we can all sow seeds of love and joy that will surely spread, grow, and brighten the world.
Thank you for all the important life lessons, Leo!
Happy 5th Birthday. We love you!!!
