IS THAT A FAT LADY SINGING?

Since I am officially "the crazy guy down the road with all the dogs," I read with gusto the "Ask the Vet" column in the local newspaper. A couple of weeks ago the column taught me more than I expected to learn.

A 91-year-old man wrote in asking a question about his three-month-old puppy.

A man about 11 to 12 years past his expiration date taking in a puppy with an 11 to 12 year shelf life--I like the way that guy thinks.

Life went on before you arrived, and it will go on after you leave. You're responsible for not screwing it up while you're here. While he is here, the old man is living today as if he is going to be here tomorrow. How else should we live a life? The alternative is to live today as if it's your last day on earth. While you hear that as a positive from many motivational speakers the truth is if you knew this was your last day, you would probably spend the day making funeral arrangement, crying and sitting around waiting to be ambushed by the grim reaper. So, I think it's important we make plans for a tomorrow.

If you can't take it with you whenever you go, that must mean you leave it here. What are you leaving here? What are you leaving to grow, replenish and enrich the lives of those you leave behind?

The events of September 11, 2001 exposed us all to more reality than we asked for--the reality that life and all its ingredients are temporary. As all aspects of our daily lives appear less and less secure, there is a tendency to hunker down, circle the wagons and wait out the storm of life.

Truth is, our life, and our responsibility for enriching it, is no different now than it was on September 10, 2001

Before I read the vet's column, when we would pick up another dog, I would mentally do the math to see whether the dog or I would croak first. Why? Did I really think everything in the world would automatically destruct when I did?

Life is an ongoing process and that process will go on whether we're a part of it or not. People planting trees and gardens at their homes with a "For Sale" sign in the front yard, grandmas in graduate school, and grandpas with young puppies have the right idea.

Lesson: Your life is not over until you say it's over.