It is very convenient, isn’t it, to get up on the wrong side of the bed every morning? I mean, it takes very little to act grouchy, to frown and grumble at the day’s routine, and to dread going to school, college or work. So many children loathe the coming of Monday morning!

If a list of grouses was prepared, you would certainly lose count of them. How easy it is to view the world with a grumpy mind. I’m talking about those little things that put you off. You cannot find a pen when you’re about to sign an important contract. Downright irritating.

And then there’s the whole dull, drab routine. Every day is the same, there’s no excitement. I’ve often wondered how my dog takes his life. He’s cheerful all the time! At first I was surprised. How much excitement can a dog’s life have? 

And then I made an attempt to observe him closely. He never wakes up grumpy. He does not dread the coming of day. Each time the bell rings, and it rings ever so often, he’s thrilled at the prospect of seeing somebody new. He waits by the kitchen door while I make him lunch, and he’s delighted when I put it into his bowl. I’ve been doing that for years, and he still finds something to cheer about.

There’s so much to learn from an animal like him. Simple minded they may be, maybe their intelligence does not match a human’s. But who cares? For them, life is filled with merriment, and they manage to take delight in just about everything.

Watching my little dog has lifted my own mood. He radiates optimism, and his exuberance, never too little nor too much, is positively infectious. One look at his smiling eyes and wagging tail and the day seems lighter, better, fuller. Maybe they understand the truth of life’s little marvels better than we do. After all, happiness is everywhere you just have to reach out and grab it.