Time Away

It was chilly walking the dogs this morning but it didn't prevent the birds from chirping excitedly perched from their branches in the trees around us. The dogs were pretty much oblivious to the songs as they trotted left and right, noses to the ground snuffing the smells of creatures crossing the field the night before. My brother's dog, Gunner, is getting up in years for a larger dog and is showing signs of slowing down. It's difficult to watch yet at the same time I feel closer to this dog now than I did when he was younger. He was a terror to anyone but Mark when Gunner was younger, running after anyone or anything, growling ferociously at strangers followed by his heavy bass tone barks, not really understanding playing with small animals but trying his best. This dog has really grown on me after my initial disliking of him. He's still beligarent when commanded to return but he's also much slower and kinder these days. He likes to be rubbed down and the aches worked out of his muscles so he doesn't lose his footing quite so  much as his hip sags and his back toes drag across the sand. He's become quite affectionate as he's aged but it may also be that I have learned more what to expect from him, how to deal with him and it's made things better for the two of us. 

I sometimes forget these important things at home with work pressing down in my conscience nearly all the time. One of my cousins reminded me that even when work is overwhelming and demanding much more attention than it deserves it's important to take mini-vacations from it. He means in the sense of taking a couple hours at the end of the day or before going in to work. It makes sense to me as those are the times that I relish most and feel like I am finally connecting a bit with my true life away from work. I'm grateful that he reminded me of these moments, this time away that's available to everyone even when we can't take a week or two to get out and about. Those are my mornings, my mini-vacations, my time away.