After reflecting on the last two posts I made on health being a long game, it has occurred to me that a large part of that game is made in the day to day moments of our lives. So with that, meet my dog, Little Miss Sunshine—Missy. She has taught me (or rather reminded me) what it means to do the day-to-day work. The kind of work that builds something meaningful over time—whether it’s health, happiness, or a sense of purpose. For Missy, it isn’t work at all; it’s simply being. Joy, after all, is found in the small moments that make up our days.
Here’s a little backstory to provide some context for our journey together. Her big brother, The Big Lebowski—Big—came into my life at a time when I was struggling enormously. He was my “person.” For those of you who have had many pets throughout the years, you know what I mean. They are all special, but Big was the special one.
Big was, quite literally, big. By the time he passed, he weighed nearly 100 pounds with no extra baggage. A purebred French Spaniel, he was well outside the norm for breed standards. He had a huge heart and filled spaces in my life that were otherwise empty. Big also had separation anxiety, which is how Missy came into our lives—I got a dog for my dog. She was his little sister, born to the same mother two years later. While Big was initially annoyed that his status as an only child had come to an end, they bonded tightly. Missy never felt like my dog—she was always his.
Big passed away unexpectedly on March 19, 2020, at only eight years old. His loss left a hole so vast that it could never truly be filled. It also left Missy and me to redefine our relationship with each other—both of us grieving in our own ways. She was missing her big brother, and I was navigating the challenges of finishing medical school in the middle of a pandemic while mourning a big presence in my life.
Fast forward six years, and we’ve adjusted. She has done well, and much of the credit goes to the mentorship and healing I received from a Naturopath and Lakota Medicine Woman in Bend, OR, who works with both people and animals. Most importantly, getting to know Missy has opened the door to appreciating life in ways that I hadn’t before. Redefining that relationship without Big being our intermediary allowed me to be open to the quiet love language she offered. I’ve discovered she’s also my “person” albeit in a different way from Big.
Missy is now my office dog, often seen greeting patients as they enter. She carries a light that many recognize as pure love and dog energy. Missy is half of the team at Meridian Passage, and her medicine is simple but powerful: she helps people feel seen and loved.
For me personally, she reminds me daily of some key ingredients to what makes for a good day, ingredients that create the foundation for health and wellness:
- Work when it’s time to work. Rest when it’s time to rest. Don’t apologize for either. We need purpose and rest.
- Be comfortable in your body. No apologies.
- Love your people with all your heart. Even if you just met them. No apologies.
- Deep listening is very powerful medicine.
- Get outside and run like the wind every day. Exercise is best in the forest, on the beach—anywhere but concrete.
- Enjoy sunshine like it’s the last time the sun will ever shine. (Because in the Pacific Northwest, you never know!)
In case you missed it, Missy is definitely a “No Apologies” kind of girl. Maybe therein lies the actual key.
Missy is getting older now. At 12, she’s slowing down quite a bit. I’ve built my life around making sure we get the most out of every day. When I mention wanting to spend as much time with her as possible, people remind me that she still has good years left. That might be true, but I don’t want to wait until the end to cherish our time together. That time starts now—anew with each moment we share.
Missy has also taught me that joy is a key to finding health. While health is a long game—built over time through our choices, habits, and interactions—it is cultivated in the small moments. The moments where we choose to step outside, take a deep breath, savor a meal, or simply be present with those we love. If we want lasting health, we must first find joy in the everyday, because joy itself is medicine.
If you’re waiting for the “right time” to start enjoying the outdoors, soaking up the sunshine, eating well, resting, or doing meaningful work, I urge you to come visit Missy. She’ll remind you that even if we have years left on this planet, the time to start finding joy in life is now.
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