On most mornings my dog, Darby and I, venture out for a walk around our neighborhood. Next month, my delightful Shichon dog will celebrate his 4 year birthday, (and he’s lived with us since he was 9 weeks old) so let’s just say we’ve taken LOTS of walks!!
Earlier this week as we headed down our block, we hadn’t walked very far before it was time to stop, again, for Darby to sniff around and find out what’s been going on since we last walked this route yesterday. As I watched him curiously assessing the latest smells, I realized something about Darby that surely applies to probably all pups; they are endlessly curious and truly greet every day with wonder and possibility. He is always interested! Interested in the neighbors walking by, interested in each and every single dog he encounters, interested in the planes flying overhead and, most importantly (because of his incredible sense of smell) interested in sniffing around. It’s the smells that really stop him in his tracks and keep him focused. Wow, isn’t this just about the best and only way to go about each new day that we are gifted? There is really so much promise in each day, though it’s easy to forget this. But what if we could be endlessly curious, push away all worry and doubt and live in the moment?! And by living in the moment, I mean, like Darby does; With total interest and intent on finding out all that is new, even though he walks the same path over and over again. In poet Mary Oliver’s work, “Summer Day,” she concludes with this line, “Tell me, what will you do with your one, wild and precious life?” Drawing inspiration from Oliver, I ask- What will you do, with your one, wild and precious day?