I don’t know about you, but it’s been tough sledding around these parts lately.
You know what it’s like – spring won’t actually arrive, you can’t make ends meet, everybody needs something from you right now, there’s stress at work, friends are sick and the world seems unforgiving and mean.
I’m tired, I’m grumpy. I’m discouraged.
So naturally, the dog decided we should take the extra long route this morning for his walk, oblivious to the fact that I have a full day of stuff I don’t really want to do ahead of me. But he’s absurdly cute and I can certainly use the exercise, so I put my headphones on and we took the long way around.
We went by the park and checked on the Canada geese, we met the nice lady with the posse of rescued Pugs, we breathed in the brisk, good air. We just walked.
And then Ahead by a Century by Gord Downie and The Hip came up on my playlist and reminded me in no uncertain terms that there is no dress rehearsal, that this is our life.
All of it. The sick friends, the freezing rain, the stress at work. But also the geese that fly so low over your head that you can hear the airy pounding of their wings. The Pugs who snuffle and lick your hand and beg for biscuits. The clean, cold air in your lungs.
This, right here, right now. It is your life.
In the immortal words of that great philosopher, Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
I don’t want to miss a minute.
How about you?
P.
P.S. Take your dog for an extra long walk today. If you don’t have a dog, maybe take yourself for one.