Sometimes, out of the blue, there’s a moment of connection that catches me by surprise. Like love at first sight, except it happens it’s more a reminder than an instigation. It happens in a flash, but my heart recognizes it nonetheless. This summer, I find, some of these moments arrive as tactile messages. Call it … warm weather, warm heart.
Last week, while on a regular morning walk up to the school bus turnaround and back (about 3 miles), I asked Lilly to move off the road and sit while a car passed because we have no sidewalks on our rural roads.
She sat so close, right at my side, that her warm shoulder touched my leg. Then, she looked up and smiled.
This same event probably happens hundreds of times throughout the year, but in summer, I can feel her against my bare leg. And, last week, it struck me.
That’s the bonus of ditching the winter layers for a bit each ear.
Because I’m often barefoot, I can feel her breath when she sleeps under my desk while I work. Sometimes, she’ll even sack out completely with her narrow, unnaturally soft chin in the arch of my foot.
Or, while I’m making dinner, she’ll breeze by and sneak a kiss on the back of my legs.
And, it’s these moments of relaxed, but rock-solid bonding the remind me just how much I love Lilly. I wish I could splice this feeling (which I believe is mutual) into other timescapes when Lilly is feeling worried, stressed or anxious.
If I could recreate this bubble of love, maybe Lilly would let go and simply run for the joy of running an agility course.
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