It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Do something


In any situation, the best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing.

Theodore Roosevelt

There is a park near our home.
Every day for the past almost 5 years, we were in that park at least 4 times a day, making sure a certain Pup got his breaks, his exercise and got to meet his friends.. both new and old.
There was the little Cocker Spaniel, whose owner has health problems, walks slowly, eases himself onto a bench .. sometimes with a book, sometimes with a little radio that he listens to.

The Spaniel would trot along, no leash, sniffing, browsing, when Pup would catch his eye .
He would come trotting over to us, pausing to say Hello to Pup, catch up on any doggie goings on then come over to me ..
As I would bend to pet him, he would fall over like a dead animal and put his belly up for me to scratch. He always made me laugh.
Some days we would all walk around the park together, my husband and I, Pup and the little Cocker.

There were larger, aggressive dogs that required me to throw myself in between Pup and them .. saving Pup's older, more gentle bones from the impact of a not-so-well-trained German Shepherd or even scarier for us ( me ) a very large, black, Giant Schnauzer.
Whose owner had to pull him off Pup by the ears. Scary.

When Pup started having less energy and was not up to a long walk, we would go to the park and just sit.
He would lie in the grass and sniff, smile, pant , look around and generally, be an old man enjoying the fresh air.
Then he was unable to walk that far and we would just go around the corner.

Now that Pup is gone, my husband and I have this gap where our days were full of walking and fresh air and always something to enjoy. .
The parks are still painful reminders that he is not with us, but they are good places for sitting and people watching.

Now with the bicycle rentals nearby, I expect we will be seen , riding away .. my husband riding like he has been on a bike every day, me ... wobbling, squeaking and yelping..
I would hate to fall down .
Skin my knee.
Like a 5 year old on my first bike. ( I still have a scar on my knee from that bike.)
In the "Pup's Park" .. there are benches .. you can sit in the shade, or in the sun or lie on one if you wish.

You can also be a street person and live on one.
The street person in this park is a lady .. impossible to guess how old she is, she has no teeth and the most wrinkled face I have ever seen.
She sits on the bench, naps, people watches and eats a snack now and then.
One day we saw her just sitting there, it was chilly.
I had a bag of scones we had just gotten at the bakery on the way to the park.
I walked over and offered her a scone.
She took it.
I smiled and walked away .. it felt good to be able to do something personal and yet not make it a big philanthropic gesture .. just sharing.

I looked back .. she was feeding the scone to the pigeons.

I am still working this out.
But at least I know that I did something.

9 comments:

  1. I guess the lesson was to relinquish the gift after you give it. We cannot have expectations of what we want it to be to the other person or the other way around. I am still grappling with this one! Riding a bike sounds like so much fun!

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  2. That was lovely Candice, when the time is right will you be getting another dog?
    XXX

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely story...
    It must be hard without Pup..
    Dogs add so much to our lives.
    xxcarolg

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your Pup was so very handsome!
    I love to see his pictures.

    I've got two standard poodles at home,
    Kitt who is 2 years old and Rainier who turned 14 last August. Rainier isn't doing too well
    today so I'm leaving work early to make sure
    he's ok, not left alone. I'm sure a visit to Pup's park would be the best medicine for him :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. When I read these posts about Pup, about your pain... I cry for you. They are the saddest happy tears. I know you're in pain, but if your Pup brought as much joy to you and yours does to me, I know the pain is worth it even if it feels like it's stopping your heart.
    I'll be moving back to Argentina in a few months and bringing my pup who loves parks with me. Maybe I'll find Pup's park one day and his spirit will keep us company as she gets acclimated and I get to know the area once again.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What joy to have 2 Standard Poodles around the house !
    I will keep Rainier and you in my thoughts.

    Anonymous, How very kind you are. Thank you.
    Oh good, you will be here in summer, I hope, when everything is so beautiful .. although I think Buenos Aires is beautiful all the time :)
    Much good luck to you and your pup ~

    ReplyDelete
  7. Blogger is giving e so much trouble with comments !

    Teri, we are working on that comcept too :)
    I will have photos of the bike ride .. hopefully taken while not falling down.

    ParisBreakfast .. everything is missing something now .. there are times I get a rush of panic thinking Pup is waiting to be picked up ..

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such a lovely picture of Pup.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you Anony ... he would do that every now and then, just stop and feel the wind blowing in his face .. He appreciated a good day as much as any of us :)

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome..Thank you.

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