It happens in an instant. And a few minutes later it’s gone. Call me crazy, but I get the zaniest surge of energy from being outside in the cold. It is 11 degrees in Wisconsin right now, which feels downright toasty compared to the 3 degrees it was earlier this morning.
And I love it. It’s like a volt of electricity coursing through my veins. It charges me up in a few short moments so much that I run around the house like a ninny for several minutes upon returning inside. If they made a 5-hour energy drink for dogs, this would be it. But just like those energy drinks, the moment passes. The high is inevitably short-lived. Not to mention there is a very thin line between just enough and way too much time outside in such frigid temperatures.
It reminds me a bit of one of those late-night infomercials mom has been skimming over when the little person’s kicks wake her in the night. The salespeople are pitching all of these gadgets and gizmos that they promise will make life easier in one way or another. Yet I fear these too are quick fixes. So many of these things are not really solving a problem as much as they are pacifying them.
It made me wonder what I would tell the world if I had 15 minutes of air time (and could speak people obviously). Tonight when I came back in from the cold I got my answer. I was running amuck with no particular destination in mind. I galloped down the hallway to the master bedroom and that’s when it happened. Joy from the ground up. Literally. My people both got down to my level and we all played together. My joy (albeit sparked artificially by something in the freezing cold Wisconsin air) was contagious.
In that moment I knew what I would share with the world in my 15 minutes of fame. My sales pitch wouldn’t be a momentary fix. It wouldn’t promise five hours of energy. There wouldn’t be any of that “order in the next five minutes” and “limited-time offer” business. Forget the gadgets and gizmos. I know what will really make life easier in the long-term. Joy. In my world, it is not a limited time offer. It’s a way of life. And its warmth will outlast the cold every single time.
Wiley's Wisdom 
Beauwooowooootiful Wiley! Woooowoooooo for snow and cold too! I wuvwuvwuvwuv it!
I bet you enjoy snow too! Do you, dear Ku?
Splendid, Wyles! And that picture with just a dab of snow on the end of your nose – paws in motion – intent gleam in your eyes. Snow becomes you, Wyles!
Thank goodness for that, dear friend, because I love snow. It doesn’t always love me quite as much (at least this is what my people tell me when I don’t want to come back inside), but I digress.
Lots of love to the Huntmode family!
Wyles
Dear Wiles, please send some snow my way. It’s 93 here today and tomorrow will be 98. Just a bit warrrrrrm 🙂
Oh man Lyn, where do you guys live to have 93 degrees? We have 22 degrees on our thermometer right now! By the way, have you ever visited our blog too?
LOL we live in Australia, Nakita. Right now it is 3:20 A.M.
I woke up with a headache and am having a cup of Camomile tea to try and get back to sleep again. No, I haven’t vitisted your blog, but I will…at a more decent hour when I can enjoy it more than I would now 😉
Oh wow! It is almost Noon here for us. We are in Ohio. I hope your headache goes away fast! Glad to have you stop by when you are feeling better! 🙂 I suffer from allergies and get woken up at wee hours in the a.m. too from sinus headaches. I feel your pain! ~Val~
Here’s to everyone feeling better (and sleeping better) soon! Mom has been struggling with this again because of the baby hiccups she feels in the nighttime. She wouldn’t trade that rhythmic feeling for sleep though. 🙂 FYI to both of you – we are currently under a winter weather advisory right now. Almost 5 inches of snow already. 😉
Sorry, that should be Nikita not Nakita :-[
I’m dreaming some snow to you as I type. Did you get it yet? 🙂
Oh what a cutie!
🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you!
That’s what it’s all about, W. When you can find the joy in a day, it’s a good day. The cold and snow make me run in circles on my leash. Mom has to turn and turn till she’s dizzy. Then she says the word, “GAH! That’s enough!” Then she calls me the name of Lunatic. That’s good,…. Right…??
Live and licks,
Cupcake
Dear Cupcake,
Again you demonstrate our kindred spirit. I can picture you, likely bundled in a very trendy (yet tasteful) jacket, running around in the snow. What fun we’d have together if we would ever meet up for such a thing! Even if both our moms think we are this thing called lunatics. 🙂
Lots of love to you and mom,
Wiles
It is always fun to come back in from the cold, after running around in the piles of snow. We get so much attention when we come in too, as we get our paws wiped and dried off, our nosies get wiped off from the cold snow we had on them, but the hugs and kissies from Mommy while doing all of this to us is PRICELESS. 🙂
Goodness, Nikita, you are so right! I have so much fun just running around in the snow (and then some more inside) I almost forgot about all that attention we canines get when we bring snow inside with us! You’re right about those priceless hugs and kisses too! Is it snowing there today?
It did not snow for us on Sunday, but it did on Friday and Saturday. I think it looks like we might have got some freezing rain overnight now. I got up at 5:15am this morning and baby it’s cold outside when I took the dogs out! Brrrrr
Stay warm, dear friends! It’s darned chilly here too!
Quoting Ren and Stimpy “Happy happy joy joy” – leave it to a wise dog to bring joy to your family on a snowy day like this! You look so cute in today’s picture, but it looks so cold! Thanks Wiley!
Ren and Stimpy? They’re so silly. 🙂 Yesterday was very cold! Today is warmer but it’s snowing…there could be 6-8 inches when all is finished. I keep waiting for my people to come out and play with me – I love snow!
The best way of life! By the way , you are part of my daily dose of joy! Looking at your handsome picture and your written wisdom!
In winter with snow I wished I had fur….. 🙂
Here’s the funny thing about this joy business. I am part of your daily dose of joy, and you are mine when you say so! It makes the world go round. 🙂
I agree Wiley, Joy is much better than any energy drink, because it comes from the heart and not from a beverage company. And joy is for free! btw: for the girls: Joy has zero calories, compared with energy drinks :o)
You’re so clever, brother. I didn’t even think of the calories you save by finding free joys instead of investing in calorie-filled energy drinks. So wise, you are. 🙂
hang onto that joy!
I’ll never let go. 😉
Reblogged this on Wiley's Wisdom and commented:
Joy is never a limited-time offer.