Learning from our Animal Friends
Groundhog Day was celebrated on Friday. Folks in Punxsutawney, Pa. use it as a great excuse to party. It’s such an unusual yearly tradition that a classic comedic film and a fabulous musical was produced about the annual event. But, whether the little critter’s shadow was seen or not, generating the subsequent predictions followed by squeals of happiness or groans of despair (depending on your feelings about winter), I’d like to propose a different point of view about Groundhog Day.
As a passionate guinea pig lover (a distant cousin of the groundhog), I just offer this simple thought: unlike humans, consider how animals exist without an agenda. Sure they spend most of their day scrounging or begging for food, but other than that, they live their lives in the purest of ways. I cherish spending time with small animals, watching their antics and habits, laughing at their quirky ways, but always feeling the warmest of emotions in my heart.
So, with that, I provide a photo of my two little guinea pig girls, Nebbiola and Nocciolina, for your
personal enjoyment.
So, according to Phil in Pennsylvania, here’s to another 6 weeks of winter!
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
