Our sweet, old furry girl Zoey has me so smitten these days. She’s a long-haired, black, 13.75 year old dog, so summer is not nearly her best season. This morning, I got a slow start so it was already steamy when we departed for our morning walk. Two blocks in, she found some shade cover under a big tree in the yard of some neighbors outside doing yard work and dramatically plopped on her side where she proceeded to groan loudly and roll onto her back, then to her side, over and over, swaying her head back and forth and just deeply loving the moment — soaking up the shade, feeling the grass on her back, enjoying the break. I grinned and one of the neighbors commented, “they sure know how to enjoy themselves.” I chuckled and agreed that “yes, she’s very good at that.” She takes her joy exactly when and where it meets her and she won’t be rushed with it, audience or no.
We walked a few more blocks and a younger, more energetic puppy, whose owner was walking on the side of the street to give us a little more space, started to lunge and growl at Zoey girl. She just let out a little puppy sigh and kept walking — looking straight ahead, utterly unfazed, letting the moment roll by. Your problem is not my problem, she emoted with confidence.
A few weeks ago when we were kid-free, thanks to a break from my parents, my husband and I took her for a hike, which we don’t often do with our kids (because hiking is a special form of torture for them and, therefore, also for us when they are in our presence). We selected a loop that felt not too ambitious, but it was a hot day. She was slowing down notably as we finally entered the valley down into a creek bed (which I was a wee bit grateful about myself at that point), so when we got to the water she wasted no time dropping down into the slowly running creek to wet her feet and have a drink. She quickly hopped back onto the trail, thinking her job was hiking. When we told her (with our slower pace because she’s deaf as a doornail) she could go ahead and take a little more time in the water, she found a bit wider area and the creek, dipped her feet, took a drink, looked at us, and plunked down in the icy water with her whole belly submerged. Her human admirers took the opportunity to sit on a log and take a water break ourselves. As we sat enjoying the moment, a hummingbird flew near us, which I excitedly pointed out to my husband. We sat quietly and the hummingbird flew closer and closer to Zoey hovered just over her back for several minutes with us just a few feet away — Zoey relaxed, the bird effortlessly floating, and us admiring the beauty of two beautiful beings flowing calm, fierce energy out into the world. Life goals, right there, to be a part of that flow and attracting that kind of magic, preferably while bathing in a babbling brook.
Sweet Zoey doesn’t eat some days now. Her kidneys are taking some days off. Some nights, climbing the stairs to her bed is a little much. She chooses to happily sunbathe and walk and take long naps on the couch no matter what. Thankfully, she seems happy and carefree at the moment. A few weeks ago, her puppy bestie crossed over the rainbow bridge. We know in our heads that we’d be lucky to have a few years with her but that nothing is guaranteed. My heart breaks when I think about that, so I try to stay in the moment. It’s easy to do with her.
She still perks up like a puppy at about 4:00 PM every day. We call it happy hour. That’s usually when work is winding down for grown-ups, the boys are home, and she’s ready to play. She barks and squeaks her toys and plays like she did in the old days. It’s a celebration because her people are free and she’s always here for it every damn day.
I was recently introduced to Ross Gay and The Books of Delights by my very favorite podcast, “We Can Do Hard Things,” and it inspired me to start a daily delight practice. This is what came up today. Love this pup.
I want to be Zoey when I grow up. So what if I’m a little floofier, a little deafer, a little senile, a lot nap-prone? I want to see those moments of celebration and rest and bliss and TAKE THEM, fully and faithfully and without rushing one second. It delights me to see the way in which she moves through the world, so steady and content and fully in every moment. I hope we have many more years of her magic. I also hope I perfect these lessons she’s gifting me as the years pile on. I think I’ll start now. I hope that for all of us, really — that we see the opportunities to love and bask and bless the world with our joy and goodness all day, every day.
