My family lost a dog this morning. Cami. We had her 11 years, but we think she was around 15-17 years old. We adopted her, and the rescue mission had picked her up from the pound so nobody knew how old she was.

When they found her she was matted and had heart worms, but she was happy and wagging her “nub” (cocker spaniels often have their tails clipped as puppies, and what’s left is a small nub). And over 11 years, she rarely stopped wagging that nub. Not after each new child (we have three kids) meant less attention for her. Not after the inevitable instances of little kids wrestling around and falling on her. Not after surgery in both eyes to remove cataracts. Not after eventually going blind in each eye after painfully enduring glaucoma. Not after having to take pills three times per day to help with heart, kidney, and liver problems.

No, she kept wagging her nub through it all, and not once in 11 years did she ever growl at anybody or any dog or, well, at anything. Never bared her teeth. Rather, she just took it all in and wagged that nub. She found something to be happy about no matter what the situation. And that’s the enduring lesson she taught our family: you choose how to react to tough times. Whether it be in your personal life or your business life, when something bad happens you can choose to tuck your tail between your legs and sulk, or you can choose to find a reason to wag your nub through it all. It’s not something I’m able to do yet, but it’s a mentality I admire and one I’ll spend my life trying to emulate.

Goodbye Cami. You did what you were meant to do here. I pray you are resting peacefully now.

Wil