A Golden Labrador’s Enthusiastic Love Of Life

Meet Leila, a beautiful soul with a heart for life and family

Meet Leila and her friend Shelby

BACKGROUND

This reading was inspired when I read a wonderful story by my friend, Jeff Allen. He commented about his dog Leila that “She’s a sweetheart, but she’s yet to find her voice. What?! Well, I have had a voice for my oldest Labrador since she’s been with us. It started as a joke to make my kids laugh when they were young, but darn if it continues today. Let me tell you, Shelby, my oldest says the darndest things! One day Leila will find her voice, or rather I will.”

A dog with no voice? Not in my world! I decided, if Leila was willing, we should have a listen and see what she would share.

It was later that I read Jeff’s comment, “I honestly wish my dogs could respond to me. I know they have thoughts, but I want to know what they are. LOL”

Leila

I am a good girl. I am a beautiful girl. I have so much to say. See me wiggle all over, my tail just needs to wag.

Can’t you type faster? Keep up! Keep up with me. I get so excited and now with the opportunity to speak I’m just beside myself happy.

Jeff is going to be so surprised when he reads this. He thinks dog thoughts are all his own! I’ll show him who’s an awesome girl. That’s me! I think we would agree that I’m pretty special.

I know when to be calm and I’m often excited too.

There are so many delightful things in the world to explore and you don’t have to go very far to find them. Sometimes right out the back door. A mouse or a squirrel, the wind in the leaves. I put my nose down and go where I please… well when I’m allowed to.

Jeff holds my lead. He holds it tight because I’m apt to tug and carry on when he goes too slow or doesn’t appreciate that time is of the essence if we’re going to make it all the way there and back before sun down.

Shelby is young enough to keep up too. She’s not as old at heart as some may think she is. “Old girl,” I tease her about the form of endearment she’s inherited since I came along.

She doesn’t mind. She has a quiet contented nature and gets more pats on the head than me because she’s simply easier to capture.

Shelby would sleep the day away if you let her. It’s not laziness but rather an understanding that life is not going to go any faster or slower if we make a fuss.

Bathroom breaks will come and go and meal times will satisfy our hungry tummies. Relax she tells me often. Just calm down maestro. I don’t know why she calls me that! I think she secretly likes it when I sing!!

At the end of life, I might be alone in the household because I’m the youngest here, but I think those boys will come visiting with puppies of their own. A ‘Frankie’ or a ‘Sebastian’ with silly ears and snubby noses, or waggy tails and flowing manes of hair that stick to the furniture and makes Mrs. Jeff roll her eyes.

Time will tell. It’s just my active imagination that makes me prattle on so much.

Calm down Leila. Calm down. I smile. If I did, they would wonder what was happening and I’d get another visit to the vet with a suspected stomach ache.

No, I’ll be me. I won’t sit and stay and roll over except on my terms and when I raise my eyebrow I really am saying “You’re kidding, right?”

It’s all a lark. I hope Jeff listens to me instead of putting words in my mouth. He’s a writer but not even he’s that creative to know what I’m thinking most of the time.

Big smiles! Hehe… did that look like a snicker??

Feedback on the reading:

Jeff wasn’t expecting this reading so it popped in to his inbox as a surprise! He had a positive response:

Thank you so much! It’s an awesomely beautiful piece from a unique perspective. And provides me with some answers I seek as well. LOL!!

Like most labs, Leila has spurts of high energy, but she spends most of her days napping. She loves a good mile or so walk around the neighbourhood. She tries to get Shelby stirred up, but Shelby is thirteen and only once in a while feels like playing.

Leila was so high energy when I began this reading and I could barely keep up! I think she was genuinely excited to be given a voice all of her own. What a delight to have the honour of getting to know her a little!