Remembering My Sweet Prince

“Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

–Shakespeare, “Hamlet”

It’s been exactly one year since I spoke the final words, “Good night, sweet prince,” to my majestic chow chow, Hemingway.

Although it seems like just a moment ago, it’s been one full trip around the sun since I was forced to let my noble companion of a dozen years enter his final rest, as his body had shut down due to illness.

In the weeks thereafter, my friends who knew him and knew of our affection and bond repeatedly told me that his loss would get easier over time. Well, I must say that my friends, as well-intentioned as they were, got it wrong.

A year has passed, and the loss isn’t any easier. In fact, I think it’s even greater now. Yes, I’ve attempted to summon the courage to put on my bravest face, as I know that sadness, loss and pain are just part of the human condition. And if we want to be fully developed humans, we must be able to embrace the pain of that condition.

Yet despite this awareness, the loss lives large in my psyche, growing as time passes and making its presence known nearly every day. That’s especially true today, as the anniversary of his departure is digging a deep hole in my otherwise benevolent sense of life.

Now, if you have experienced the loss of a devoted pet, you know how I feel. You were also likely just reminded of that loss as a result of my admission, and for that, I apologize. Of course, if you were also reminded of the love and joy they brought to your life, then I shall also proudly claim credit.

So it is with life. The dueling forces of pain and joy seem locked in an epic battle for our souls. And while I want more joy than pain in my final ledger, I am not afraid of experiencing the pain. I just wish it wasn’t as forcefully present as it is today.

Then again, maybe I actually do want this painful presence to continue.

You see, it is through the embrace of the contents of consciousness — be those contents happy or sad, ebullient or heartbreaking, exalted or disparaged, joyful or heart-breaking — that we discover who we are, what we are and what it means to be human.

Moreover, the more aggressively we embrace the contents of consciousness, the fuller, more integrated and more complete we can be.

Finally, today, I have decided to do what I did nearly one year ago in this column, and that is to honor my sweet prince by presenting you with a recollection of one of my fondest memories of him, a memory I wrote about in May 2021 in an article titled, “Get Yourself a Chow Chow.”

I think you’ll find it an enjoyable read, and I think you’ll see that the lesson here is that everyone needs to build a good team around them that “has their back.”

So, good night, sweet prince. May you continue to always be by my side, and in my painfully blissful heart.

Get Yourself a Chow Chow

We all know the cliché that a dog is “man’s best friend.”

Well, let me tell you something, man needs best friends. In fact, as social animals, building a network of close friends and trusted associates is imperative to a life well-lived. Of course, finding those you can trust and that “have your back” isn’t always the easiest of propositions.

Yet, when it comes to canines, generally speaking, if you treat a dog well, he/she will treat you even better. Like humans, dogs are social “pack” animals, and they are hardwired by nature to help protect their pack. That means they are hardwired by nature to be your friend and ally, and to have your back.

I saw this trait play out firsthand this past week, as my canine, a chow chow named “Hemingway,” put the smackdown on a most unwanted intruder.

You see, I live on a small horse ranch in Southern California. In addition to horses, there is a barn, and around the barn, there are many feral cats and kittens. Yes, I feed them all, and so I am not surprised they keep coming around. But I like cats, so I choose to make sure they have plenty of food. Yet while I choose to feed and welcome the cats, I definitely do not welcome the coyotes that come around to try and make a meal of the felines.

A few days ago, Hemingway was barking rather aggressively, wanting me to let him outside. It was about 3 a.m., which is an unusual time for him to want to go outside. Still, I obliged his request, and as soon as I opened the back door, Hemingway sprinted outside and ran full speed toward the barn.

I had a flashlight handy, and as I shined the beam in the direction he ran off, I saw that Hemingway had cornered a full-grown coyote. Both sets of fangs were out, and I was about to witness some canine combat.

The next moment Hemingway bolted toward the coyote and knocked him against the side of the barn with a body blow reminiscent of a tackle from the great Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. After bouncing hard off the side of the barn, the coyote sprinted away from my property and into the cover of the early morning darkness.

I have seen no signs of its return since.

Your editor with Hemingway and my good friend/veterinarian extraordinaire Dr. Aiden Ables. 

This incident reminded me of the importance of putting people, or in this case a chow chow, on your “team” that can help you get through difficult, even combative situations. And while my chow was just being a chow, i.e., an aggressive and strong breed known for its powerful build and protective nature, he nevertheless lived up to his nature by kicking that coyote’s butt.

Because you see, in life, sometimes we need to kick a coyote’s butt.

Sometimes we have problems that require tough, no-B.S. action that must be taken to achieve a result. Many times, these are business problems, and at other times legal problems. Sometimes those problems are medical, relationship-oriented or family-oriented. And sometimes those problems are about investing.

That’s why it’s imperative that you build your own personal network of tough chow chows who have your back when the coyotes come calling.

So, make sure you have good friends, real friends, that can help pull you through the tough times. And in turn, be a good friend to them when they require some assistance. Because guess what: we all require some assistance at some point in our lives.

You also should make sure you have a cadre of professionals on your team who you trust to get you through the tough times.

For example, have a great lawyer on your team. I can tell you that I have never regretted spending money on a good lawyer, and you won’t either. Also have a good certified public accountant (CPA) or tax person on your team. Pay extra for them, because I guarantee you it will save you money in the long run.

Next, cultivate a personal relationship with your physician. A physician who knows you personally is likely to give you a little extra attention, attention that is required as we get older and as our medical needs accelerate.

And, of course, if you are having trouble with your finances, and especially if you are having issues getting the results you want from your investments, well, that’s what my newsletter advisory services are all about.

Finally, if you are in need of a protective dog that will fight off intruders, but will sleep lovingly at your side each night, while also looking like a real-life teddy bear, then do yourself a favor and get yourself a chow chow.

It might be the best investment you’ll ever make.

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The Last Unicorn

“Real magic can never be made by offering someone else’s liver. You must tear out your own, and not expect to get it back.”

–Peter S. Beagle, “The Last Unicorn”

If you want to make a significant impact on the world, you are going to have to do something significant. But doing something significant is never easy. In fact, you might say that in order to do something impactful, you’re going to have to metaphorically tear out your own liver and not expect to get it back.

And so it is with life. If we want to do great things, we have to be willing to make tough decisions and do some damn tough things that are going to hurt. Will it be worth it? There’s no guarantee. Is this a worthy goal? What goal could be more worthy?

Wisdom about money, investing and life can be found anywhere. If you have a good quote that you’d like me to share with your fellow readers, send it to me, along with any comments, questions and suggestions you have about my newsletters, seminars or anything else. Click here to ask Jim.

In the name of the best within us,

Jim Woods