I’ve spent a good number of hours with my husky-wolf, Togo. Never have I ever had him communicate anything to me other than “I am overjoyed to be right here, right now . . . with you!”
As we begin a morning walk and get to the end of the driveway, he knows a decision must be made. Do we head north or do we head south? Looking back, he checks for my hand signal and then, without a complaint or ever looking back, he gladly bolts down the street.
Or, after a game of tug-of-war or a little bit of rough-housing, Togo never whines when I tell him, “That’s it, buddy! Time for me to go in.” He just wags his tail and lets me know that he’ll be here if my schedule changes.
Or, when I begin the feeding routine by emptying and refilling his water bowl, he is never impatient but instead walks in close beside me and leans against my leg as the water pours.
Or, whenever I ask him to sit, whether it’s for his prayers or just for a little talk, Togo gives me the look that tells me “This is good. This time between you and me — it’s good!”
Or, even when storm clouds threaten and thunder booms and Togo peers around the corner of his house anxiously, his glances tell me, “There’s no place I’d rather be than here with you.”
Togo’s pure joy is why I break often when I’m at home, just to walk out in the back yard and spend some time with him. And, even though I can see the holes in the yard he’s dug, the shrubs he has destroyed, the patio furniture he has decimated, and the mud — oh, the mud — everywhere, my spirit can’t help but be lifted by his joy and his willingness to share it with me.
As I finished our walk this morning and as I watched Togo play with his squeaky raccoon toy in the back of the pickup, I wondered if my joy for life has ever touched another person. Perhaps if I were a little more willing to walk down any path just to be with someone or stand close by when necessary things are being done or sat just for the sake of sitting or expressed joy and gratitude in the midst of a personal tempest. Perhaps then.
The entire time I was reading this, I was thinking, “If only I treated GOD that way!” —watching for his signal, waiting for his direction and bounding on ahead, listening for the sound of his voice, just being glad to sit with him in silence. I have some changes to make!
Gelene, thanks for taking this to even a higher level. I need to make some of those same changes. Blessings!
Joey, what a wonderful story! Togo seems to be very wise and you wiser for heeding the lessons He is teaching you (and us) through Togo! Thank you so much for sharing your and Togo’s journey with the world, I think we are all a little better for it! Stacie
Thanks, Stacie! Listening to Togo is part of my larger “listen more – talk less” plan. 🙂 Amazing.
Joey,
My mother spent 8 years in a nursing home after a fall down her stairs at home…I found her and then that was the last few moments of clarity she had before her brain was too damaged to recover. She lived 8 more years and each time I visited her I felt ‘rushed’ to get moving on my own agenda for the day. If only…I had given more time to just sit and be there. She was alert to know when I was there and always sad when I left.
My father is 96 and is in a nursing home only 2 miles from my home. I am the one he calls when he is anxious, forgetful and fearful of the ‘strange’ room he has been in for several years. When I go over to sit with him, we watch golf, basketball or ‘whatever’ is on his TV. I try very hard to ‘be in the moment’ and not rush off to attend to my own life responsibilities. It is so difficult to settle my own anxiousness and just ‘be’ for someone else. Thank you for the reminder to truly be overjoyed to be right where I am at the moment!
Blessings,
Susan Boe
Susan, we all have moments of regret — some of them earned and some of them not. The beauty of living in the Lord is that forgiveness is a constant presence. I shudder at some of the things I’ve done. But part of the “in the moment” life is to do what you are doing — taking the next opportunity to do better and to use what we’ve learned. How blessed we are to have new time every day to serve and to bless. I know you. And I know that you bring powerful blessings to all in your life. Shalom!