Author: Jeff Shapiro

Whew! What a celebration!
People everywhere in tents and on chairs …
This holiday is all red, white and blue …
One where everyone loves me because they leave me scraps, scraps, scraps.
 
It’s like I died and have gone to heaven …
I went to go pee and poo and the ground was covered with French fries (No kidding) …
Of course, I had to clear a path (You can’t pee on French fries … )
Shame they didn’t leave any ketchup or mayonnaise.
 
But boy did I hate the booms, flashes and cheers …
I’m afraid of anything that make my tail move (other than me … )
I have to concentrate on happier things …
Like the scraps, scraps, scraps.
 
I’m not the only one that likes this holiday …
I have to battle with the seagulls, pups and rats …
Sometimes you can’t take time to distinguish between paper and food …
I’ve just got to hope in the end it all evens out.
 
We pups have our own Independence Day …
It starts every morning when we open our eyes …
A yawn and stretch and off we go …
Into the sunshine and play …
 
Happy July 4th
 
I love you,

Annie

P.S. Check out my video!

The wedding is over …
I now have two mamas …
Events took their own course …
Turning the page to a new chapter of joy and discovery.
 
I now need a new game plan …
And step back from my own little mind …
One thing I know are the laws of the heavens …
And that change is just moving to a different nest.
 
My new mama’s lap is like resting under orange maples …
My fortunes have definitely multiplied …
I’m not yet able to judge this new melody …
But I know it is a happy one.
 
It’s like the only good seats for the show (I love musicals) turned out to be mine …
Can I ever really measure the value of this gift?
For me, gifts never speak for themselves …
I have to spend my life interpreting them.
 
Now, I see nothing but light …
Summer days full of sunshine …
Containing only the characters of genuineness …
I love my new mama … her name is Jana.
 
And I love you,
 
Annie

I was thinking this morning that, music is such an important part of my life …”
When I listen, I can dance (I prefer the Texas 4 step …)
When I listen, I can sing (I’m a howling alto soprano …)
And best of all, when I listen, I can solve my problems from other people’s words.
 
For me, it can be the path to peace …
The right song can sketch my entire life in charcoal …
And even though it may mean something different to every pup …
When we listen, we stop fighting over who will push the elevator button (You can because as high as I jump, I can never reach).
 
Music fills my bowl to the brim with invisible kibble …
Each line of my favorite song takes me someplace more beautiful …
It unclenches my little pup heart …
And sometimes is my only friend.
 
If I listen closely, I can see the precious fruit of the heavens …
The fruit a recollection of my favorite memories …
Reconciling all of my tears and complaints …
As it echoes off the sky.
 
Music is fun!
The start of everything from a ball game to the Olympics …
And to make it even better …
It allows us to sing together the same song.
 
Close your eyes and listen … music is everywhere!
 
I love you,
 
Annie

Today my mama is getting married …
I don’t know why but I’m not included …
I love my mama’s new partner …
But I’m not sure about her pesky dog.
 
Yep, the dog’s name is Ella …
Always, twisting herself, always wagging …
Her spine does the most unusual things …
I hate it that she is so darn cute.
 
I’m not sure if Ella’s included in the wedding …
It pains me to think about it …
I can just picture her with a basket tossing flowers …
And eating all the tasty ones.
 
And Ella at the reception … OMG!
Chomping on a bowl full of steak and potatoes …
Drinking my Grandpa’s wine …
Giving the opening toast (she’s a good public speaker.)
 
Aha! They just dropped Ella off at the same sitter …
No steak on her breath, no wine on her lips …
Now I can go back to my dreaming …
And wishing my mama a wonderful day.
 
I love my mama and Jana.
 
And I love you,
 
Annie

Today, I’m going to give this day everything it wants from me …
I’m not going to censure anything or blame anyone …
I’m going to lift  my paws to the heavens with joy …
And understand nature and follow Her.
 
Today, my kisses will be accurate and sweet (no more going for the nostrils …)
Slimy, juicy, perfect (yup as disgusting as it sounds …)
Love all things …
And simply be content to be myself.
 
So, let’s talk about what you’re going to do today …
I’m here to remind you that there is a bloom inside of you …
You are it’s interpreter …
It can be beautiful, or it can never see the sun.
 
This bloom is your most valuable thing …
If not, near the top of the list …
Within lies complete emancipation …
Shiny, colorful, precious (you can see an example with me …)
 
Don’t worry, I too am sometimes sweetly disheveled by regret …
But those regrets are water under the bridge …
So, why do you keep building new bridges?
Just let the water carry all that unhappiness away!
 
Bloom today with the unique flower that is you.
 
I love you
 
Annie

Sorry I missed you yesterday.  Wednesdays are my racquetball days with my poodle friend Tinker.
 
Come on don’t look at me that way …
 
Do you think this is such a strange thing?
A long hairy body with short little legs playing racquetball …
I’m not some sort of insignificant weakling …
I am so much different than that.
 
If you look a little closer, you’ll see a tiger inside this teddy bear body …
Something, nothing less than astonishing …
A pup who’s always searching for the place where biscuits are made …
Outlined by the light of the courageous.
 
This is because …
 
I always put a twinkle in everything I see …
Always push my paths into new territory …
I wag my tail at one weary traveler after the next …
Because I know that the line is thin between elation and disappointment.
 
I have no use for standpoints, views or opinions …
There are too many trends and stances drawn from dark places …
For me, I would rather be soft and gentle …
And show you how to live among the stars.
 
That is why your presence is so important to me …
Your mind is common to people …
My mind is common to nature …
And when we snuggle, I’m pulling you over to the happier side.
 
I love you,
 
Annie

What? There’s a voucher?
How do I get this voucher?
And by the way, what is a voucher?
You mean, with a piece of paper I can get something for free?
 
Will it work for bacon n’ nutty biscuits?
Understood, I have to get in line …
What if the cashier can’t see me?
I’m pretty low to the ground!
 
Hello, what’s your name?
I always like to get everyone’s name when I’m standing in line …
It signifies their uniqueness in the universe …
And, without recognizing it, they all look so lost.
 
I guess I just like to be present for everyone …
This instance being the only one of it’s kind forever …
We are all kind of like cut out pieces of worn out clothes …
Needing to be sewn together.
 
Hey, would you like a biscuit?
You know this life is everyone’s business …
And when I look at you humans, I think I will never be perfectly fulfilled …
Until I give all my biscuits away.
 
Yes, you can have a biscuit, but only take 1!
 
I love you,
 
Annie

Have you ever noticed …
 
That we pups never take sides in an argument …
We possess neither property nor fashion (I have no clothes!)
We snuggle both saints and sinners …
After all, doesn’t everything have 2 sides?
 
Yet, we always come laden with gifts …
We never have bad news …
We are always asking questions …
Like aren’t you interested in reaching the real ocean?
 
So, what if we’re always hungry!
And see everything as a tossed salad of green …
It’s just nature, part of our animal function …
Just like we are always hungry for your touch.
 
Yep, that’s what today’s all about …
It begins anew unmarred by stains …
Yesterday is just the black remains of a campfire …
Today we can build it again even higher …
 
Look! The dew is showing the perfection of the spider web …
Crazy, before it was just a frilly blur …
Look!  Your smile is mirrored back to you by everyone!
Crazy, before it was just a sea of frowns.
 
Smile!  Opinions really don’t matter!
 
I love you,
 
Annie

Do you mind if today I ask you a personal question?
 
What is your art?
To do everything your master says…
To make sure your bark or your growl isn’t too piercing…
Or, to explore every path of the spirit of this world?
 
When I was just a puppy, I discovered that in life there are two theaters and two stages…
One that I perform on day in and day out, where all the other pups are my audience…
The other which I perform before the spirit of my soul.
My goal has always been to turn the two stages into one.
 
For me, when it first started to happen, it was like hearing a symphony on a tin radio…
The intricacies of the string section confused by the static…
But, what a wonderful beginning…
After such a long road of lefts and rights.
 
The gates of life opened for just a moment…
Like a big nursery for pups and people alike…
Or like all the colorful wheels at a carnival…
Radiant and easy on the eyes.
 
So again, what is your art?
You should know, you perform every day…
On which stage are you performing?
Or are they both the same?
 
See you on the grand stage.  I’ll be in the front row.
 
I love you,
 
Annie

Have you ever heard of the islands of the blessed …
They can be anywhere …
Today, I’ve found one in the play-space of my new cousin…
They may want to disinfect it after I leave.
 
Here I am, playing with the mobiles …
It’s like throwing a feather into the light to make life seem ghter …
The babies sweet smell is on everything …
I dream that we will always be together.
 
You know, life can be very kind …
It doesn’t have to be a blood-sport …
Look around, no one is chasing you …
There are no pointy teeth glistening in the darkness.
 
Come, lie next to me …
Go ahead and swat the owl (in the picture) and watch it swing back and forth …
See, if like me, you get goose bumps (yes, pups get goose bumps) …
And then watch how all of your arguments with life turn into dust.
 
Don’t pay attention to the crazies …
They’re seldom right …
Why worry, when you don’t have to …
Now hit another of the mobiles and watch it swing.
 
Now go out and find an island of blessing today!
 
Big licks and kisses (Oh yeah, they’re the same)
 
I love you,
 
Annie