saturday in the rain
this morning i was wondering why the back of my left leg gets soaked when i walk in the rain but the right one stays dry. doesn’t matter, i was just happy to be able to get outside and walk the usual 4 miles i do most morning with the dog. it’s odd but i actually prefer inclement weather; makes me feel alive. the rain, snow, wind; all of it travels through me somehow, heightens the senses and just makes things interesting. and spencer’s a good boy, no leash, stays off the street, and just ambles along, in his own world and happy.
it has not been the best of weeks for me, but it has enabled me to take inventory of my life a bit which is never a bad thing. affairs of the heart have never been my strong suit. i’ll spare any readers the details (ho hum, whoa is me..), but safe to say i’m a bit sad.
and then, there’s the dog; those eyes; that face. it’s hard to be down for too long when he’s lying there in his favorite bed next to my couch in the living room. yet another gift dogs can bestow upon us if we let them; not to ‘cheer us up,’ or be our best friends, but to balance the energy in our lives.
i’m reminded of something my friend and dog trainer kevin once said to me, “dogs don’t think, they feel; their hearts are our minds, they think what we feel.” all week i’ve noticed spencer has a heavy heart; because i do. and that’s the beauty of having a connection to an animal; there is no lying in them, no agenda, no plan; they are wholey emotional beings and dogs in particular, because they are domesticated and live in our homes, reflect our state of mind through their actions and behavior. it’s a beautiful thing to see if you allow it.
so no, spencer is not my best friend, or my companion, or my whole life. he’s just my dog. that’s more than enough. i hear all the time people saying to me how lucky he is to have found me; to have been rescued from a tough life and to have found an owner who cares about him. it’s me who’s the lucky one
it is similar to having you in your crib when you were so young … always a smile on your face, always a new beginning to each day, like spencer. Amazing, I just realized the experience people have with their dogs is like when a baby arrives in your life, always present, always so full of love and smiles, for no reason but to just smile at you. it certainly fills up a house. dogs and babies and to me, cats, make a house a home. Dogs seem to stay young at heart and always are positive.
spencer is so grounded and he’s there for you as you are for him in all your daily activities and duties. being a good owner is like being a good father … you take the good days with the not so good days and you just do it together.
I’ll never forget the first time you smiled up at me as an infant. for the first few weeks, it was a look of study. you were sizing it all up. then came the big smile and it was for absolutely no reason. pure joy. the connection was made and that was that.
Spencer’s eyes look deep into your soul. He does it to me too. If he sees I’m distant, he gives me space. If he sees I’m ready to go, he gets up and gets excited. When I wake him during the night, he just takes it all in and goes right back to sleep. He barely moves. He knows the drill. It’s just another nightime trip to the bathroom … nothing new about that!! Then the big sigh and he’s back to sleep. You definately are the lucky one. mom
Thinking about you and came across this – This blog, Dave, is a fantastic idea. I look forward to reading more, mister.
I love the ”heart” you put in to your writing , it makes every post something meaningful.Thanks!!!!!!
@Naomi
thanks, appreciate the feedback, means alot, glad ur enjoying
@Lia
aww, thanks Lia, it’s been fun to write
What’s his story? tell us about spencer’s life before you found him too?
I love the ”heart” you put in to your writing , it makes every post something meaningful.Thanks!!!!!!
What’s his story? tell us about spencer’s life before you found him too?
thank you for the kind words