A year already?




Wow, it has been a year since we are back in California.  We spent much of the weekend discussing the whole "there and back again" with all the changes that life dealt.  Sitting here in bed with Luke and Elsa deep in their dreams; twitching and running in their sleep I cannot help but look back.  April 1st, unbelievable really.  How does time pass so fast?  Although time seems to move in the blink of an eye; looking back, much has changed.  I remember like it was yesterday; looking at Jessie, Tilley and Luke knowing that someday it would change.  Thinking to myself, how could I have a different pack?  My pack had been Jessie, Tilley and Luke for so long.  It was who I was to the core.  But things change and it's not always a bad thing.

My pack is now Luke and Elsa and it is amazingly wonderful.  Yes I loved my pack before; I adored having them all, Jessie, Tilley and Luke.  My heart dog before Luke was Clyde; before him it was Mandy. What memories I have with each and every one and as they say "life stops for no one."  Each dog has their own life lessons taught to me; with day to day unfolding, life is a constant learning curve.  There have been more concentrated lessons in the last sixteen months, much more to process and handle.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is "don't look back; you're not going that way."  Over the past year and a bit;  this quote has made me stop in my tracks, gather my thoughts and keep going.  True, we are not going back in time; we are constantly and unavoidably moving forward.  But there are times when you need to look back and remember; not to dwell but to reminisce or recall a life lesson. Living with dogs is a constant life lesson; with each day unfolding in a new and different direction.  Sometimes lessons are huge, having a tremendous impact; others may be small and go unnoticed.  Life can then call upon those small and seemingly insignificant lessons learned, later on and they may be exceedingly powerful.

Although you cannot stop time; you can stop and take the time to take in life.  Life has a tendency to fly by; some days more so than others.  "Stop and smell the roses," is not a only a famous quote but good life advice.  Life can become so fast that we literally miss a great deal of it.  A year can be a whirlwind that flies by in a heartbeat.  When it does you need to stop and ponder; take a breath and smell the roses.

True, life moves forward; we cannot go back in time.  But that does not mean that we can never go back.  Sometimes going back is a better choice than moving in a different direction.  No, time will not stand still and things can never be exactly as they once were but they can change, be different or even better.   Time is something that we cannot stop; life is a never ending motion forward.  What you take from each passing day goes with you into the next.  With each day spent with your dog you learn for the next day; next year and next dog.  It is all an evolution.

So on this April fools day (which I am not a fan of) take the time to stop; smell some roses, tulips or even snow melt.  But stop, even for a few to take in your life and don't let it just fly by.  Grab it;  live it, it is yours after all.




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