If you’re anything like me, it’s a constant struggle to find the ideal work-life balance.
Work more. Stop and smell the roses. Hard work never killed anyone. You can’t take it with you to the grave. Money doesn’t grow on trees. The best things in life are free. Idle hands are the devil’s playground. Work to live. Live to work. Work smarter, not longer.
Geez, it’s all very confusing and contradictory.
But on a recent morning walk through my favourite forest in Wasaga with our black lab Scooby, my faithful companion gave me the answer:
“Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew, and dog will have his day.”
Of course, that’s it Scooby! Once again, you’re bang on, the dog will have his day. The solution is so obvious: we must observe more dog holidays.
Where should we start? How about modestly with one or two days per month dedicated to taking time off in appreciation of our best friends?
There is an honorary tribute for almost every day on the calendar to celebrate our most loyal buddies, but I’ve narrowed it down to these monthly ones for me:
Jan 8 – Labrador Retriever Day
Feb 14 – Pet Theft Awareness Day – it may even generate some new clients for my criminal law practice, so we can technically call this one a workday as well!
Feb 23 – Dog Biscuit Day – can’t walk without them
Mar 23 – Puppy Day – the world needs more puppies
Apr 1 -7 – International Pooper Scooper Week – for the social warrior in all of us
May 10 – German Shepherd Day – only because I’m totally afraid of what these beautiful alpha dogs might do to me if we didn’t honour them!
Jun 18 – Veterinary Appreciation Day -best job in the world
Jun 24 – Take Your Dog to Work Day – you’ve got to pay the bills, see June 18th
Jul 13 – Let The Dog Lick Peanut Butter Off Your Toes Day – ok, I made this one up, but it has potential, eh?
Aug 5 – Work Like A Dog Day – to remind us we’re not retired yet
Aug 10 – Spoil Your Dog Day – much needed, after the stress of August 5th
Sep 9 – Happy Dog Day -this is every day really, but what the heck, let’s celebrate it
Sep 13 – Scooby-Doo Day – Can’t wait to tell our Scooby about this one
Oct 1 – Black Dog Day – Starting to see a lot of Scooby’s influence on this list
Nov 16 – Slobber Appreciation Day – see above and below
Dec 24 – Open Up the Peanut Butter Jar and Peel a Banana Day – another made up one, but a perfect lead into the holidays!
There, I feel much better. Now that we’ve solved the “work-life balance” dilemma, we can focus on something simpler and less contradictory. Like solving the riddle of golf.
“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life.”
“The uglier a man’s legs are, the better he plays golf.”
“Nobody asked how you looked, just what you shot.”
“Golf is a good walk spoiled.”
“Golf is the infallible test. The man who can go into a patch of rough alone, with the knowledge that only God is watching him, and play his ball where it lies, is the man who will serve you faithfully and well.”
Uh oh. This is proving to be more difficult than I thought. Come on Scooby, time to go back into the forest again, we’ve got some thinking to do. And sure, we can bring the peanut butter this time.
