Despite the nature of their physical difficulties, dogs manage to live in the present. Fortunately, they have no concerns about the bills for their medical care or how their illness will affect their loved ones.

To them, each day is an opportunity to find joy in something. Anything that gives them pleasure makes it a day worth living.

One of my dogs, Giulia, has been diagnosed with cancer. Despite surgery and weekly chemotherapy, she shows no desire to give up. I awake each day to a happy doggy grin and tons of kisses. Every day, she finds joy in something: snuggling, a tasty snack, a walk in the woods.

Unlike her, many people I know agonize over every ache and pain. They spend their days in fear of the future.

They seem to waste perfectly good days focusing on the bad rather than the good things that remain. Being overwhelmed by pain and fear is natural. There may come a time for many of us when the bad times outweigh the good and life becomes very challenging.

Still, I’m going to make every effort to function like Giulia as much as a mere human can. Finding something wonderful in every day is so much of what dogs are about.

Gratitude for each day is sometimes difficult for humans to achieve, but perhaps not as impossible as it may seem.

I’m sure that there will come a time when Giulia — and each of us — may find life onerous.

I will be extraordinarily sad to say goodbye, but I’ll also feel peace in the thought that she and I have truly enjoyed each day together to the fullest.

Thankfully, she doesn’t worry about the future. I do, but I’m trying my best to learn from Giulia how to stay in the present and enjoy everything the present has to offer.

Barbara Kahn is the training director at WonderDogs, Inc. E-mail her, with “Trend” in the subject line, at barb@wonderdogs.com, call 856-767-6464 or visit www.wonderdogs.com.