< by Mitra >

This is a picture of my lil’ cousin: Taco.

Taco belongs to my sister- and brother-in-law, Kim and Josh. He is 9 human years old. He speaks in a rippling Antonio Banderas-style voice to elicit his demands: Feed me. I require petting now. How dare you take my seat on the couch.

His curious personality eluded me at first as I tried to graft into my husband’s oddball little family. Why did he reject my attempts to pet him so often by yapping at my hands? Why did he circle my husband-to-be and growl when I offered a friendly hello?

It wasn’t before long I learned Taco and I share a special trait: a fierce protectiveness of loved ones, combined with a smaller-than-average stature. It is for this reason we have nicknamed him “Napoleon.”

I have come to enjoy a special cousinship with Taco, sometimes bordering on Disney levels of human-canine friendship. This is Taco snoozing blissfully earlier today, Christmas Day. If doggies had Christmas lists, this would be his:

• Snoozes
• Patches of sunlight
• Pets on the head
• More patches of sunlight
• Solar-powered blankets for snoozes
• Blankets of any kind
• A clicker that makes it sunny any time
• Nappy naps
• Tons of warm snoozes and blankets
• Sleepz
• Etc.

Let’s just say I know that Taco got all the things he asked for today.

Despite Taco’s feisty personality, he really is a creature of peace. In a season with so much busy-ness, I’m passing along this captured moment of zen, from the wee master himself. Whether you are fierce and fiery like Taco in the rest of your business, or just a normal human being that needs a spirit animal prodding to nudge them toward rest, take it from this little Chihuahua. Those moments in your patches of sun really are golden. Find one of your own, curl up, and sail into a sunset of snoozes with cousin Taco.