For the Love of Your Dog and Those Million Dollar Minutes

Being an avid reader, I’ve been reading like crazy as we’ve sheltered in place these past eight weeks. I’ve devoured 32 books since the start of the year and I have no shame in my bookworm game. One of my favorite genres is personal development. I recently finished Tonya Dalton’s The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less, which I picked up because I am admittedly a workaholic by nature and an ISTJ, according to Myers–Briggs testing. (Essentially, that makes me a logical introvert who loves details and facts, who thrives on intermittent alone time, and who lives for planning and organization.) That said, the title totally intrigued me.

I blew through her book in a matter of hours–there was so much I really connected with–but if I had to choose one concept that truly struck a chord with me, it was Dalton’s definition of what she calls her “million dollar minutes,” the moments that if they were gone tomorrow, she would gladly pay a million dollars to get it back. It got me wondering, What are your million dollar minutes? We all have them.

Dalton writes that her million dollar minutes affect her in terms of bringing awareness to “the times when I know I need to slow down and give my priorities–these people I love–my full attention. If I don’t remind myself how valuable these moments are, I’ll allow them to slip through my fingers.”

So many of my million dollar minutes involve Hunter. While he’s 100% healthy and relatively puppy-like in his play (even as we celebrated his 11th birthday this May), he is getting older and there is an increasing number of days that I look into those soulful eyes of his and wonder how much longer. How much longer will we have these minutes together…moments of joy and love as we’ve adventured near and far, of mischief and laughter that has filled so much of our home and our hearts, and of quiet moments interrupted by happy little “woofs.”

dog sheltering at home

If you’re like me, these past few weeks may have left you feeling as if time has slowed in the best possible ways. Despite having the same 168 hours each week that we’ve always had, these past few weeks have allowed us “extra” time to spend alongside our furry family members. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that I almost don’t want things to return to normal…yet we both know they eventually will.

When they do, I encourage you to hold on to the parts of your life that you may have previously taken for granted. How many times have you looked back at your puppy and wondered, When did you get so big?! or how you suddenly woke up to that sweet sugar-sprinkled snout of white nuzzled to your cheek? Most importantly, how many times have you wished you could press pause on those special moments throughout the day? The good news is, you can.

Take the photos. Remember these days. Call a loved one. Practice gratitude. Throw that slobber-covered ball for the hundredth time. Slow down. Give your full attention to these million dollar minutes because I can promise you, when you look back in 10 years, these are the moments that will matter most.


If you would like to book a Bark & Gold Photography session for your pet, click here or give me a call at 724-913-BARK (2275). For more information on Bark & Gold Photography sessions, visit “The Experience” in the menu and be sure to share your email on my homepage to join the VIP list.

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