Sunday Reflection – December 20, 2020

Ah, Creator,

Please don’t let anyone see me

maskless,

coughing,

in their neighborhood

in these times of surging COVID

on this cold Sunday morning

with a frigid light breeze

turning my nose into a leaky faucet

rather than an apparatus for breathing

 

Fingers already freezing

half-way through

my morning trot

and stop

and sniff

and start

with Pinto.

despite triple-layer polartec mittens

especially the fingers on my righthand

often bared to grab a plastic bag from my pocket

to pick up Pinto’s offerings along the way

 

Please don’t misunderstand my whining

I am truly grateful for my little companion

whom I love enough

to face this uncomfortable responsibility

for his sake alone

knowing that greeting the morning this way

is not a choice I would be willing to make

otherwise…

Pinto in his cobbled-together winter suit – October 7, 2018


Note:

I am always willing to be the one to take responsibility for making sure we are properly physically-distanced from anyone else we encounter on our travels. I truly hope we will not need to do so in the near future.

20 thoughts on “Sunday Reflection – December 20, 2020”

    1. Ah, Tube. It’s good to hear from you! You always manage to make me smile.

      If you look at the photo carefully, I think you’ll notice he’s not too happy with his suit, Over the years, he’s gotten used to it, and it does keep him warm even though it’s getting a little raggedy. Sending my best wishes to you!

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  3. I love it! having been through an extended lockdown period here in Melbourne, we have developed all kinds of new anxieties and concerns (don’t let anyone see me maskless or coughing) and everything requires extra thinking and takes longer and is a little less comfortable than usual. Walk out the door, walk straight back inside and grab your mask, oops, I hope nobody saw me. Oh we don’t have to wear a mask outside anymore. Next minute. Walk in the shop, walk straight back out, forgot to put my mask on again, doh! And all this hand-wringing, oh I mean, hand-washing, lol. I feel you.

    The dogs in our city were deeply confused by the appearance of all these daytime walks that were sombre and dutiful, rather than opportunities to play. It’s an adjustment and we know joy is always there in the small things, but the rewards…. survival is everything. Stay safe and well, Carol ❤

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    1. Thank you for your kinds words and delightful comments, Robyn. I couldn’t help laughing at myself, stuck on a cold walk many blocks from my home, my nose running and no kleenex in my jacket pockets because they’re filled with doggie bags and keys. Still, I let my dog take his time sniffing almost every tree in sight. It’s one of the things he seems to enjoy.

      Yet, as you point out, so many people are too scared to experience moments of joy and laughter. That’s what concerns me the most. Their reactions are unpredictable. I just try to give them physical and social space to be who they are without expecting anything from them in return. And sometimes, I am pleasantly surprised…

      Again, thank you. Wishing you strength and health. too, Robyn. 💜

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Pinto looks happy, and warm in his jacket. Never feel bad about wiping your nose on your sleeve, Bonaparte be damned. Sometimes the drip on my nose freezes. It’s the weather. Take care. Wishing you the best.

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    1. It’s good to hear from you, Bob. I do think Pinto is warmer in his little suit, but he’s never eager to let me put it on him, even though he does love to go for walks. He whines and talks and barks to let me know he wants to go out NOW, and when I arrive with his suit, he decides he’d rather eat his bowl of dry food. If I let him, I think he would eat it all!. Nonetheless, he is a delightful companion who often makes me smile and laugh.

      But it also makes me sad when I think about the first three years of his life. I only know he was abandoned and rescued by the animal shelter with infected teeth and was too fierce to be adopted by anyone with children. He literally turns into a furry ball of fury if I try to brush him, as if he’s fighting for his life. Otherwise he’s fine with me. But he is very picky about the people he is willing to let come near us. He will bite uninvited hands. Hence, physical distancing is something I have always had to attend to when we go for walks.

      Ah, sleeves. I really can’t quite get to them given that I often need two hands for the leash and bags, and the mittens don’t really work either. Today was the first day I coughed, perhaps because the breeze was a bit colder. And then the words of the poem started flowing though my thoughts, making me laugh. I decided to share the poem because the world feels so grim and joyless these days.

      Thank you for your thoughtful comments, dear friend. Sending my best wishes to you and your lovely family. 💜

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  5. I haven’t had a dog since I was a kid (I still remember her name — Peggy)), but my “little companion” remains a fond memory. After Peggy, I had a pet Pekin duck named Gussie. Funny how, decades later, I still recall those names although now I have trouble remembering what I planned to do two minutes ago!

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    1. Thank you for sharing memories of your beloved winged and four-legged companions, Mister Muse. I am truly grateful for Pinto and Queenie, my green and gold parakeet. Life during COVID would not be the same without their delightful company. Both, by the way, often sing along with your musical offerings. Sending my gratitude and best wishes to you. 💜

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    1. Thank you for your delightful question, Pam. I do wish I had fur in winter, but not summer. Despite my attempts to the make sure tiny Pinto has a protective covering in winter, he manages to undo most of it in the first few minutes as he digs and rolls snow that is deeper than he is tall.

      Sending blessing to you to the new year that has already begun! 💜

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Dear Saadia, it is so good to hear from you! I hope all is going well for you. Your work is so amazing, but it looks dangerous, too.

      Pinto is a delightful companion, and he is so cute. I think that’s what made the first few years of his life hard. He was probably spoiled, then abandoned, and I suspect, abused. He came to me with a lot of challenging health issues and behaviors. He is a fierce fighter and will bite if he’s scared. Veterinarians quickly learn to fear him.

      Belatedly, I wish you a new year filled with many blessings, dear friend.💜.

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    1. Funny, Georgina. Thank you for your lovely comments.

      It is often a cold walk in winter here (spring, and fall, too, and even sometimes in summer). Recently, we have stayed in the yard because we’ve had a lot of snow. Unshoveled sidewalks and slushy slippery roads make walking excursions less than ideal. But it’s still cold most days. I agree that we may benefit more than our pets from the outings. Pinto’s antics do make me laugh. The snow is higher than he is tall, but her charges into it anyway.

      Sending my gratitude and best wishes. 💜

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