A year ago, I put my son's dog down after 16 years of unconditional love. He was a beautiful chocolate lab who has been missed dearly in the house but the idea of another dog screams more expenses, responsibilities and demands on time.
I am protecting myself from something, this is why I don't get involved at a church or go out with friends or invest in new ones. What am I saving my time for? I find myself wasting more time than I invest in anything.
After ten months of working a job that was quite time consuming, now I have time, lots of time. I am working freelance and there is constant ebb and flow.
Time slips so easily through my fingers, I find myself amazed to see the sun going down again or the weekend approaching. My paintings wait for me to get back to them, my garden grows and so does the expenses, all I am doing well right now is working out, photography and gardening.
What great idea do I have that overwhelms my every day but never quite comes to clarity? Enter my younger son, after a year of threatening to bring home a puppy, he brings home a beautiful puppy.
He says he realizes how the house has been missing something, the fact is we've all been missing something. Suddenly I have a mirror to my laziness and distraction. I suddenly am present in the moment with this little bundle of energy.
When did I get so distracted from moments. I take the puppy out every few hours and we both sit and listen to the birds and the cars. We both notice all the smells and colors and suddenly I'm present in the moment.
This little spectacle of energy, expenses and responsibilities is demanding my time and attention. He's teaching me to be here in the moment even while I'm wrestling with time, dragging myself around lazy, fighting to get back to whatever I need to get back to.
God teaches us in the most abstract ways. I drag myself around following this little puppy and I realize I have avoided my life, I've been saving moments for the idea of something but never quite put my finger on what.
This little distraction has succeeded in making me present, I see myself as selfish of time, I'm a miser of this free time that mostly gets swept under the bed for another day. Sometime lessons come in the strangest places, thanks God, thanks to my son and this little puppy named Ranger.
What a gift your son has brought into your family's life. Animals have a way of bringing the light back to our souls. And they will be right beside us when we go through both the good and the not so good in life. They are loyal, they do not judge and they can sense when you need their presence the most. Ranger will help you find your light my friend.
ReplyDeleteYes, Thank you Carol-it is funny, my son just always seems to connect me to a ligh-thanks so much, more to come
ReplyDeleteKeep following him. He'll lead you on some good adventures ending with Gods painted sunset. Enjoy.
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