Last weekend Curt and I decided to take an impromptu trip to the beach. There’s something wonderfully freeing about being away from home, where every room seems to shout, “Clean me! Organize me! Dust me!”, and we were both ready to trade in the constant to-do list for the sound of waves, salty breezes, and zero pressure to be productive.
Loading up for the trip was its own adventure. We wrangled up the essentials, wrestled with bags, and finally ushered our dogs Caymus and Chaypin into the car. The cats were clearly dismayed at being left behind yet again, and the dogs, of course, were ecstatic about a car ride.
After all, when aren’t they? They’ve ridden in the car thousands of times, yet they still greet the event with uncontainable joy. There’s no hesitation or consideration that our jaunt may end at the vet. They don’t hold onto the memory of the dreaded thermometer or the cold otoscope in their ears. They jump in, tails wagging, eyes bright, excited about the drive and trusting where this journey may take them.
This particular journey, of course, took them to one their favorite places. Whether taking off like rockets down the shoreline, wrestling in the sand, prancing at the oceans edge, or body surfing (Caymus - Chaypin prefers earth to be easily accessible at all times!) - they are living it up - fully immersed in the joy of the moment.
Imagine how different life would be if we approached it this way. How often do we let past experiences cast a shadow on our present? We hesitate to get “in the car” again because we’re still reliving the times when it took us somewhere uncomfortable. Or we let our minds wander to the next task, the next moment, and we miss the joy right in front of us.
Being present helps us manage stress, heightens our awareness, and increases our sense of connection - with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us.
There’s a unique wisdom in watching dogs navigate the world, and they can be some of our greatest teachers. They remind us daily that joy is found in the journey, in the act of being fully alive and open-hearted, regardless of what happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow.
Click below for Five Minute Fix #35: Grounding in the Present Moment.
By bringing ourselves back to the present moment, we, too, can tap into this sense of wonder and peace, savoring each experience as it comes.
Five Minute Fix Guided Meditation #35: Grounding in the Present Moment 🌷
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