Posts by Joan Courtney
Beneath the Surface
My daily walk takes me past a pond. As spring pokes its head up from the grasp of winter, I am transported back to some wonderful memories of when I was a kid. As with the Lakeside pond, the water in Polliwog Pond (named for the polliwogs that later matured into frogs) could be peaceful.…
Read MoreDelightful Surprises
Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us. —Boris Pasternak Duff here. I’m all for Surprises. Big ones. Little ones. And everything in between. I delight in the Speed with which They visit Me. The total happiness of Someone anticipating a Need. The feeling of Warmth as the Gesture is recognized. The Burst…
Read MoreAbsolute Trust
Duff here. Have You considered what it is to Trust? Well, the other day, I was pondering This Belief. Since I am a Very Small Dog, I depend on This Quality to navigate My World. I keep a Sharp Eye out, trusting People will not step on Me. I trust there will be Meals for…
Read MorePure Happiness
To show a child what once delighted you, to find the child’s delight in your own—this is happiness. —J.B. Priestly Duff here. I had the Most Wonderful Adventure yesterday. Mom and I met Miss Callie. She is a charming 3-year-old Girl. Easter was the next Day, and She was so excited. The Easter Bunny had…
Read MoreYou Are Enough
Duff here. So many of My Clients worry about Not Being Enough. Not good enough. Not Smart enough. No College Education. Not enough money. The House? Not Fashionable enough. They continue to Compare Themselves to Impossible Standards. And They are not very Happy. In fact, They are downright Miserable. Not living unstuck. I teach Them…
Read MoreThe Possibilities of Spring
Nothing ever seems impossible in spring, you know. —L.M. Montgomery Duff here. Spring is here! Here on the Mountain, buds are beginning to peek out. Mom and I heard from Friends in the Carolinas that Azaleas have already come and gone, leaving room for new Blossoms and Growth of all Sorts. Nothing is Impossible, and…
Read MoreSelective Hearing
Duff here. I am a Pro at Chasing Squirrels. I have been working at this Skill since I was a Tiny Puppy. It took Me a while to understand it was Their Way of playing a Game with Me. I would see Them, and They would begin to Chatter. The Fun was On! I roared…
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