Chewy’s Choice

Hang Tight and Hold On!
By Chewy (AKA: Chewbacca) Davis

I’m Chewy, the Chief Barketing Manager at Davis Creative Publishing.

I spend a lot of time on the back of the sofa, watching the world go by and guarding my humans. We get a lot of dog walkers strolling by on their way to the park at the end of the street, and a lot of strollers with babies headed in the same direction, especially now that Spring is finally here.

I am mostly a quiet dog that loves human attention. I love to go for walks and look for my favorite neighbors. They sit on their porches and call my name when they see me. I get lots of chin rubs and extra loving as we take our daily walks. The only time I ever bark is when I’m on the INSIDE of our house, safely atop the back of my sofa, guarding the neighborhood from my perch in front of three large windows. I like to loudly alert my humans about the certain danger of the persistent mailman (do you know how often I tell him this is MY house?!), or a tenacious squirrel daring to use our porch as a pass-through to the next yard, or the rambling roving of a pesky rabbit. I especially like to bark at the BIG dogs and see them jump around, looking for me! I can sound REAL tough.

One sunny, late afternoon, after her last call for the day, Mom joined me on the living room sofa to go through emails and pretend to catch up on a few to-dos. She sits on the cushions, and I sit behind her on the back of the sofa — between her and the danger outside.

I never did see who or what was being delivered to our front porch, but it caught me by surprise. I jumped up so fast and barked so loud, I accidentally misjudged my landing, and I ended up straddling the back of the sofa and the adjacent windowsill. My right arm and leg were stuck in between the sofa cushions and the back of the sofa, and my left arm and leg were precariously balanced on the windowsill, about six inches lower. I’m not sure what I would have done if Mom had not been in the same room. She jumped up as I looked at her in a panic, thinking, “What the heck do I do now?!”

I heard her say, “Hang Tight and Hold On!”

She quickly grabbed me in a fireman’s carry hold and lifted me out of my predicament. She laid me on the sofa seat to ensure I was OK.

You see, I was rescued as a newborn puppy from a hoarding situation about 7 years ago. Mom and Dad brought me home from the foster home when I was eight weeks old. I have some health hiccups, including hemophilia; my blood does not coagulate. If I get a cut or bruise, I run the risk of internal bleeding. Depending on the injury, Mom will either give me a pill (with cheese!) or maybe even race me to the ONE vet in the St. Louis area that is equipped to give me a blood transfusion with “good” blood (and, YES, I’m worth it!).

Turns out my hazardous landing was not as bad as it could have been. I was just fine — I didn’t hurt myself (much). I jumped right back up onto the back of the sofa, showing no fear, and resumed my usual guardian position; after all, I have a JOB to do! I only had a small bruise, which went away on its own (boy, she was watching me like a hawk!).

I guess “Hang Tight and Hold ON” really means “Everything’s gonna be alright!”

 

 

 

 

Hang Tight and Hold On!
By Cathy Davis

The unexpected can happen in a split second, and the world can be a crazy discombobulation of news stories that change by the minute. Some days I catch myself feeling much like Chewy did… straddling reality on one side and “stuck” in a new position that, as a business owner, I’m not always quite sure how to navigate. I, too, sometimes find myself asking, “What the heck do I do now?!”

The thing is, WE ALL HAVE A JOB TO DO. Despite our ever-changing daily reality, we can still choose to “Hang Tight and Hold On” during the roller-coaster ride. For me, as an empath, it means reminding myself that . . .

I cannot help everyone, everywhere, with everything.

• I CAN continue to stand up, speak up, lift up.
• I CAN shine my light as bright as possible and help those I can reach.
• I CAN participate in a community that is making a positive impact.
• I CAN do one thing daily that puts a smile on someone’s face (including my own!).
• I CAN make a difference.
• I CAN trust that “everything’s gonna be alright!”

Want to join me? Need to talk about it? I’m HERE. 

 

 

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CHEWY’S CHOICE for reading this month!

DASH THE DASCHUND
Written and Illustrated by Jackie Duty

Dash the Dachshund loves to play in the park with his tail wagging and his paws flying through the air as he runs in the park race. But with his short legs, he can’t keep up and feels like he will never be fast enough.

With the help of his friends Eleana and Dana, he begins to see how the beauty of being different can be a gift. He may not be the fastest, but he has something even more special.

Join Dash for an enjoyable tale about acceptance, friendship, and celebrating what makes us unique. Dash the Dachshund will inspire young readers to embrace what makes them different and appreciate the journey along the way.

Available everywhere books are sold, including online:
AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, WALMART, and TARGET.