Clearly when Marie Kondo wrote her New York Times best selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, she did not have in mind Golden Retrievers, specifically Asa and his toy collection. As Kondo explains, “The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it.” However, easier said than done because everything “sparks joy” in Asa!

A tennis ball that lost its fuzz is still great for a game of fetch. A beloved stuffed animal that is just a shell of it’s former self, after being unstuffed, is still a dear friend. Even the cardboard roll from paper towels can spark joy as a mighty sword to carry around. And don’t even get me started on Asa’s thoughts about each and every squeaky toy he treasures in his overflowing toy box.

Speaking of overflowing toy box, this brings me to the current situation. Mom would like to tidy up a bit and has asked Asa to part with some of these cherished possessions. The damaged ones will be thrown away. The newer ones that he has not played with will be donated to a local animal shelter. However, based on Asa’s mindset, this is going to be a losing battle for Mom. Everything speaks to Asa’s heart, because he is after all pure Golden joy!