The Grover Walk

I think that my favorite part of the weekly walk-ins were the first one in which we were instructed to simply walk aimlessly. When I asked Eric for clarification later he said that we would have to find some way to randomize our decisions and that the only control over our walks destiny would be setting in motion's. Beyond that initial inception we were slaves to our device as it were. Now those of you that know me know that I'm a dog person and so it may come as no surprise to you that I incorporated my fuzzy friends into my equation and so began that very night. In order to simplify the experiment I subverted the dogs and walked one of the time not to mention the fact that I was curious if they would follow one another's paths or they would wonder about. Now I knew I was going to need all my energy for my younger dog but was unsure of whether or not I could bank on the big dog giving me a shorter walk or pacing himself and continuing into the night.


Well I figured this out when I thought to myself and so I strapped up my Trouble girl, yes her name is trouble, and set off of the door. After about 20 minutes of us know in the bush outfront we did sharp and immediate left. I find the difference in my dogs wonderful something about the way the younger Sheppard moved in the purpose where she went was I don't know glorious. Well we managed to the park a few blocks over at which point there was a timely stopover I didn't realize that she could smell several soccer fields thoroughly. Wild!  We went everywhere, everywhere.  I think I stopped paying attention to direction a long time prior to the walk actually pending and I remember thinking how wonderful it was to just muse, without a care in the world. Almost as if I was floating on a cloud of inquisitively and wonder because it seemed like every single thing the Trouble passed was exciting new. How fantastic to be that free.

The Grover walk really resorted more to a general description of feelings. Grover is of course the big dog a St. Bernard, loving and lazy by nature. Grover was no hurry, not to get out the door, not to leave the yard, not did it on the street. He just sort of went where he went with no sense of urgency like the wind itself was his guide.The thing was it was just as magical and justice reflective of the big guys character. I thought of life. Sometimes it takes slowing down that much to begin to see your reality for what it is. I just remember having overwhelming sense of gratitude and joy just for being a part of the world around me. I can notice things on my street I had never seen before although I have been here over a year. I could suddenly hear everything, as if now that I had taken the time to absorb the universe around me my mind had a connection to everything had never been there before. It was enlightening.

It only got better as the week wore on and I a better me because of it, I remain, grateful.
John Needham Tuohy