When I crossed our main street to get to the sidewalk, Thomas, my beagle, pulled me to the left, a path we rarely take, as I, automatically, turned to the right, a path we usually take. I decided to follow his lead. He seemed happy. His tail wagging, he took his time walking.
Nice cool breeze on a warm wintry day kept embracing us. And, the mostly cloudy day felt more like spring, not winter. I felt my mind happily hopping. I heard a complex symphony of sounds in the background – The chirping of the birds flying over us; the humming of the cars whizzing by us; the soft bark of a dog coming from nearby distance; the rustling of leaves on trees around us.
As Thomas and I sauntered, I couldn’t help but chuckle remembering an encounter with an acquaintance – I had asked her about why she preferred walking alone. She had blatantly answered, “Sweetie, because I can fart freely!”
I, too, realize walking by myself is immensely satisfying! An accurate definition of myself would be – me and my dog! These walks are exclusive – My conversations with myself remain private; my quiet times remain absolutely and phenomenally soothing; my silly but unavoidable burps, spits, and farts become one with the nature :). Thomas and I walk completely immersed in our own worlds. I walk leisurely at my own pace. Actually, leisurely at Thomas’ pace :). But, both walking, joyfully.
“Folks, have a great year. Make 2016 a year to nap! The best year to dream! Dream big! And, may all your dreams come true in 2016,” Sir Thomas wishing you the best in his best way – set to take his first 2016 nap😀.
What’s that stuff sticking out of Sir Thomas’ head? It looks huge and heavy! As far as I know, Sir Thomas is not related to Hercules. And, this certainly is not his Top Hat! OOPS! It’s a water-tank. I was attempting to take a picture of Sir Thomas looking out the car window, and this oops happened 🙂
“Eye spy humans scurrying about caring for animals inside. I spy the space I use to occupy here.” Dixie’s intent gaze reveals memories of her shelter life.
“You just ate. You go sleep on the couch now, and let me eat my breakfast in peace,” I pleaded with Sir Thomas. Instead of leaving me alone, he kept his constant hopeful-gaze stuck on me; hoping I’d share my food with him 🙂 STUBBORN – can be his middle name! 🙂 🙂
“Sir Thomas, what do you see?” I’m asking him. Calmness in his expression is a recent behavior…an indication of his getting older…and, of course, wiser 🙂 (As a pup, everything was basically a trigger for chase-time)
It’s been cloudy and raining, intermittently, all day since yesterday. Still, a nice fall day. Today, however, it’s chilly, due to cold gusty wind. I’m all ready for my walk, dressed in layers, for this day. But my walking companion, Sir Thomas, still in the same spot since 7:30 AM. It’s 11:15 AM, now. He looks like a hot-dog stuffed in a bun on our couch.
Hot-dog Sir Thomas
“Let’s get you ready boy, and go for our walk,” I say to him. He gives me a stare, which, I can hear loud and clear, “I am not going anywhere, today; you carry on alone, without me…I’ll try losing my extra pounds later.” “I’m not giving up!” determined, I said. Enough bugging from me finally gets him off the couch. Without wasting time, within seconds, I get him ready. We head out the garage door, and I turn left to walk out of our neighborhood. Suddenly I’m pulled! In the opposite direction!
“Let me…” Sir Thomas seem to say to me, pulling me to a spot in the middle of our front yard, “Pee!” Relieved, he looks around, and sets his stride back toward the garage door, to go inside. “No! We haven’t even started our walk!” I scream.
It’s ever-so-slightly sprinkling, and the wind has picked up…it’s gusty, for sure. He really wants to skip this walk! I pull him away from our house to get out of the neighborhood. He pulls me toward the house. I pull him away. He pulls me toward…I pull him away…he gives in…he has no choice. Sweet thing. I love him.
Off we go, outside our neighborhood. We hurriedly cross a street to get to our walking path. Those darn trees! Sir Thomas takes forever to move from there. He sniffs every angle of this one particular tree trunk. Then, of course, marks a spot on it.
“Hi, it’s not too bad out here.” Enjoying the sniffing.
We make a move again. He’d rather be snuggled, today, comfortably on the couch. He’s walking, today, because of me. He loves me!
Despite the weather today, we are enjoying the nature. We hear the birds chirp, the leaves rustle, the wind whistle, whisper and swoosh. We see no one else out here, today. But, we see hundreds of leaves here today, flying and falling to the ground.
“Leaves, leaves, and leaves! Every leaf has a potential to be sniffed and marked, by me. “
As we head back home from our walk, Sir Thomas’ pace gets faster. I smile at his eagerness to get home. Once inside the house, I notice his tail go up, completely.
“Glad that’s over!” Sir Thomas tells me; actually, his eyes tell me that! He hits the couch; yawns, stretches and gets ready to snooze. “Life, you are too good! If you leave, I’m following you.”
Never! Ever (ever) EVER am I leaving this couch!
Just so you know Sir Thomas, I had a wonderful time today. Those moments are now in the past. Those beautiful moments are behind us! This weather – if you leave me – I know you’ll be back again. This gusty wind and this chill – if you leave me – I know you’ll be back soon. Time – if you leave me – you are not coming back. Life – if you leave me – you are not returning. And, that’s the reason I take the time to enjoy my life with you, Sir Thomas:) Our walks are always interesting. We won’t let our walks leave us! We will walk tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and everyday after that!
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “If You Leave.”
The Unstoppable Optimist! 