winter wonderland

The snow on the sidewalks in our neighborhood is higher than our Puli, Bela. He's freaked out about it since he doesn't like to 'do his business' on walkways. But there is no way for him to leave them.

(Why on earth do we talk about a dog's eliminations as 'doing his business'? Makes Bela's pee and poop seem like he works at a store or is a CPA or a lawyer, for goodness sake. What he does when I take him for a walk is pee and poop. That's not 'business'. Bela doesn't have a 'business', he just pees and poops and I praise him for it every time.

I pee and poop quite a bit. And never once, not since I was two, has anyone praised me for it...or considered either a business transaction.)

The bed of Bern's Nissan truck is totally full of snow, up to the very edges. Which is good since it is a front wheel drive truck and the weight of the snow should be an advantage on mushy and slick streets.

Bela's dilemma is mine as well. Often I feel locked in by life the way he finds himself locked in by snow above his head. This morning he went down the back steps of our deck and was so immersed in snow I had to go dig him out. But I give him this: he ran down into snow over his head. He took the risk. He made the leap.

I don't do that enough. I don't break the boundaries or jump into deep water (or snow) enough.

I've learned a lot from the dogs I have shared life with.

Maybe my 'business' is to venture out beyond what is safe and known.

Maybe I am being called to plunge in to what is not safe more than I do.

I'll ponder that....and invite you to ponder it as well.