When In Doubt...Go For A Walk
I’ve been ‘dogsitting’ for the past couple of days and its been quite enjoyable having the old fur ball around. When I was living at home, I spent a lot of time with our dog…wrestling with him, having him sit next to me on the couch as I watched TV, going for walks around the small town where we lived, playing with him in the yard. I don’t get to see him as much anymore…a couple times a week I’ll pop by to check my e-mails, say hi to the folks, and give Bax a nice rub behind the ears. But sometimes I miss him.
As you may have figured out by now, I am an animal lover…and dogs are perhaps my favourite of the domesticated variety. I’ve always gotten along with dogs of all sorts. Even the big, angry ones that bark like mad when first approached by a new face…after letting them sniff my balled up fist (so as not to lose any fingers…) and giving them a nice face rub, they’ll usually quiet down and start hovering around me like a new best friend. I just know how to communicate with dogs...I don't know what it is. And when it comes to Bax...well, we're good buddies.
One thing that became pretty clear early on during Bax’s stay was that he didn’t like the idea of being left alone in a new place. The first time I left him for a minute…and he started yelping like a helpless little puppy. The next time, I stood outside the door and waited…hoping he’d shut up and go lie down somewhere until I got back…but he whined and cried…so, being the softie that I am, I came back and got him. So…seeing as how I couldn’t leave him alone (lucky for me I had a couple of days off) I took him everywhere…which meant lots of walking.
It was on our walk late last night, just after midnight, that a calm came over me…something I haven’t felt in quite a while. Walking along silent narrow streets, surrounded by old, old homes, (you know the kind...red brick...front porch...right out of 19th Century Canada) my little buddy leading the way, it felt, for a moment, that everything was right in the world…my world. I've lived in the small town I call home for just over 5 months...and I had yet to venture down any of the side streets behind my apartment...but I'm glad I did.
For a few minutes, I forgot the frustrations and failures of my current existence…let the problems and concerns melt away…and just enjoyed the silence of a cool summer night. I love to walk…always have. There’s something about living in a small town or city, the way that everything is within a ‘safe’ distance, that appeals to me. Don’t get me wrong, the vibrancy and sheer volume of experiences that are available in the city are nice to tap into every once in a while…but I’m a pretty quiet person, and I HATE traffic and too much hustle and bustle, so the simplicity of small town living just feels right at this point in my life. The more and more I think about it, I'm sure the city will become my home at some point…but for now, with all the chaos and confusion swirling over my head…its nice to be able to close the front door behind me and feel comfortable in my surroundings (cops banging on the door at 7:00 am be damned!).
I didn’t find anything I haven’t already found before while on my walk last night…it just reminded me that sometimes we forget how to look...or we get so bogged down with our lives that we can't unplugg. Sometimes all it takes is to stop and look up.
It is out there.
As you may have figured out by now, I am an animal lover…and dogs are perhaps my favourite of the domesticated variety. I’ve always gotten along with dogs of all sorts. Even the big, angry ones that bark like mad when first approached by a new face…after letting them sniff my balled up fist (so as not to lose any fingers…) and giving them a nice face rub, they’ll usually quiet down and start hovering around me like a new best friend. I just know how to communicate with dogs...I don't know what it is. And when it comes to Bax...well, we're good buddies.
One thing that became pretty clear early on during Bax’s stay was that he didn’t like the idea of being left alone in a new place. The first time I left him for a minute…and he started yelping like a helpless little puppy. The next time, I stood outside the door and waited…hoping he’d shut up and go lie down somewhere until I got back…but he whined and cried…so, being the softie that I am, I came back and got him. So…seeing as how I couldn’t leave him alone (lucky for me I had a couple of days off) I took him everywhere…which meant lots of walking.
It was on our walk late last night, just after midnight, that a calm came over me…something I haven’t felt in quite a while. Walking along silent narrow streets, surrounded by old, old homes, (you know the kind...red brick...front porch...right out of 19th Century Canada) my little buddy leading the way, it felt, for a moment, that everything was right in the world…my world. I've lived in the small town I call home for just over 5 months...and I had yet to venture down any of the side streets behind my apartment...but I'm glad I did.
For a few minutes, I forgot the frustrations and failures of my current existence…let the problems and concerns melt away…and just enjoyed the silence of a cool summer night. I love to walk…always have. There’s something about living in a small town or city, the way that everything is within a ‘safe’ distance, that appeals to me. Don’t get me wrong, the vibrancy and sheer volume of experiences that are available in the city are nice to tap into every once in a while…but I’m a pretty quiet person, and I HATE traffic and too much hustle and bustle, so the simplicity of small town living just feels right at this point in my life. The more and more I think about it, I'm sure the city will become my home at some point…but for now, with all the chaos and confusion swirling over my head…its nice to be able to close the front door behind me and feel comfortable in my surroundings (cops banging on the door at 7:00 am be damned!).
I didn’t find anything I haven’t already found before while on my walk last night…it just reminded me that sometimes we forget how to look...or we get so bogged down with our lives that we can't unplugg. Sometimes all it takes is to stop and look up.
It is out there.
posted by neil at 4:14 PM
4 Comments:
I did dog walking as one of my jobs when I was living in L.A. Even with the hustle and bustle of that city, the act of homing in to the energy of my canine buddy, putting one foot in front of the other (having no particular place to go) and taking in the natural beauty around me was quite meditative and restorative. I understand completely what you mean.
Animals are the best.
Sounds like someone should get himself a permanent dawg.
Sasha - Once again you managed to encapsulate what I was trying to say better than I did. Thanks (seriously…well done).
J – If not for career and life uncertainty, and lack of funds…I’d love to get a puppy of my own. For now though, visits from Baxter will have to do.
Like everything else in my life...I guess 'someday' will just have to wait.
I certainly didn't say it better than you. I just continued the theme. I love your writing. :)
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