Life Lessons and Dog Walking
PIper the pup teaches me something every time I see her.
How did I stumble into this?
I knew it was only seconds until I hit the pavement.
It was. And I did.
Asphalt knocked the air out as I maintained a grip on Piper’s leash. Unused poop bags and treats are scattered onto the road.
The physical pain and abrupt road-meets-body experience outweigh feeling embarrassed. I’ll replay the imagined Boomerang meme of, “Od lady can't walk” in my head later.
“Are you all right?” asked the gallant motorist who had stopped traffic.
“I'm okay,” I lied.
Sweet Piper standing at my side, not quite sure why I threw cheese treats all over the gutter for her. Didn't matter. She cared not what my reason was as she gobbled and wagged her tail.
Minutes before this tumbling fiasco we were on a blissful warm October walk. Late blooming flowers juxtaposed by ghoulish skeletons and cloth ghosts waving from tree branches.
Funny how life can change in a heartbeat.
One minute you're upright.
The next, flat on the ground kissing pavement.
It's the what-do-I-do next part that's unknown.
That’s where life lessons emerge:
How to get back up, even when people are gawking.
How to handle things when you imagine you're scraped up but can't see any injuries.
When you want to cry because things went wrong so fast.
When you regret there was no way you could stifle momentum plus gravity equals splat.
When you wanna go back to the other side of the road and get a do-over.
When you wonder if you tripped because of debris. Or is this what happens as I get older.
All this flies through synapses in about 90 seconds. Sight any Life Lessons here?
Let’s brainstorm:
I'm okay.
My neighbor’s dog, Piper's okay.
My sore muscles and road rash remind me of how resilient I am.
I'm grateful for the kindness and concern of a stranger.
It could have been much worse.
It could have been much worse so I count my blessings.
And realize how lucky I was. How lucky I am! And remember that there are people around me who can support and help me regardless of my injuries.
Regardless of my imperfections.
So, how are we doing on that Life Lesson List:
Safety. Gratitude. Resilience. Insight. Support. Blessings.
Not bad for a simple afternoon walk in the sun.
So, as I get ready for Piper’s next stroll, I’ll make sure to double-lace my shoelaces this time.
