They need exercise and so do I, so I take them for walks. They like to stop and smell the roses. And the rocks. And the trees. And the flowers. The simple things in life. I am a mission-oriented person, and I sometimes get annoyed at this behavior. I just want to finish the walk. I tell them, “It is just a rock, girls.” (They are both females.)
At the same time, I envy them. They have that rare ability to find simply, everyday things fascinating and interesting. They live in the moment and enjoy every second of life. They are like children in that sense. We grownups have lost that fascination with the simple things of life and living in the moment. We are so focused on the future that we’ve forgotten how to live in the movement.
When my children were very young, rocks and trees fascinated them. One day, my youngest son found a rock that had a prominent feature that looked like a nose, like my nose. He declared it a “Daddy Rock,” and it joined our family. I was in the military so we moved frequently. We carted that rock everywhere until my son went to college. Somehow, when he went to college, it stopped being a “Daddy Rock” and became a simple rock again. It was as if an education makes people no longer fascinated by the simple things in life. They lose the ability to enjoy the moments that make up life. That is sad, I think.
I want to be like my dogs and kids. I want to be able to take my pets for a walk and say, “Wow! Look girls! A rock! How fascinating! Let’s stop and enjoy it.” I’m working on it.