Dachshunds and Politicians: It IS the Small Stuff. Smile, Say Thank You

I drive to the post office in downtown Frederick, Maryland most every morning to visit the P.O box I use as a business address. I’m awaiting potentially important paperwork for the completion of my book, A Maverick Life: The Jack Kelly Story. This is the major reason I make this trek from my more suburban spot in Frederick to the downtown area … maybe an entire ten minutes away.



This morning as I drove, I saw a young couple walking two dogs. Not unusual … but the dogs made me smile. They were dachshunds and I can’t help but smile when I see these rolly-polly, low-to-the-ground bundles of energy. I don’t have a dog, haven’t for years, but if I did … it’d be a dachshund. How can I not smile when I see such adorableness? They never seem to walk. They’re always pseudo-galloping, and that doesn’t look easy for an animal with four short, teeny legs to carry a solid bulk of body along every step of the way. Yet they appear delighted with each step. Their ears fly back in the air as they scurry along, and their head—a head too big for the overall size of the body—holds up proudly.



It is impossible for me not smile when I see a dachshund. And if something makes me smile, it’s important. It may be a small thing in the grand scope of life but whatever causes me to smile is crucially important to not only my health but the health of the planet. Why? Because I live on this planet and when I’m smiling, my good health affects the good health of others.

As well as my community. Let’s talk politicians. How many politicians make you smile? Honestly. If you’re anywhere in the Washington, DC area, you're always seeing politicians—national, international, local—and most often, what they do does not elicit a smile. That means that when said politicians do help you crack a smile, they deserve public credit.

I’m not extremely political. I pay attention, speak up at times, and keep an eye out for what may threaten what I see as a positive way of life—not only for me but for others. But let’s face it … politics is subjective. What we support is based on the lives we’ve led, the lives that impact us, and issues that grow closest to our hearts. I don’t vote along party lines. I watch for the small things—office holders who, issue by issue, show me their passion over those things which I also tend to consider important.

That’s why I smiled when I learned County Commissioner Kai Hagen was one of two, in a 3-2 vote, who supported continued funding to the
Frederick Arts Council. Anyone who’s ever been to this quaint, historic town simply must take a drive to understand how crucial the arts are here. Frederick was just named 18 on a list of “Top 25 Small Cities” for the Arts by American Style Magazine. Even after that, three other County Commissioners still voted down funding. This is one of those “small things” on my list which make up my appreciation for who-does-what-for-whom.

I thank Kai Hagen and Jan Gardner for having vision to understand this simple “appeal to the public” principle.

It took my ride through town this morning to make sense of this. To see the most adorable dogs enjoying our small-town beauty … and see its history and art as I passed murals, cityscapes, aqueducts and carefully-planned integration of past and the future—an absolutely artistic effort unto itself … I couldn’t help but appreciate the small things because that’s what makes up life. That makes life worth living. That’s what makes ME smile.

I’m famous at 54 because I can still smile at the small stuff, and fully appreciate its beauty, artistry, and import. What makes you smile? What makes you famous?