We often find that when we listen to others we are concentrating on what to say next, filling up with opinions or even speaking out of turn. Try listening with mindfulness - hear the person without judgement or the need to immediately express a view. Be aware that the word "listen" can be shuffled around to spell "silent".
Sometimes memories pop up at the most random times. I have often thought about getting a dog again. And I will do that one day. I miss having a dog and there are so many dogs out there that need a good home. I love the support a dog gives and the unabashed affection. They are always happy to see you, and they are a great source of comfort. For me, it will have to be the right dog for my current situation. I do not have a fenced in backyard, so I would need a dog that will be ok being inside the majority of the time.
When Squirt came into our lives, it was the right dog at the right time. We had come home from vacation, and our neighbor asked us if we could keep Squirt until we could find a home for him. David, our neighbor, had found Squirt stuck in the fence the day before. There had been a huge storm, and I think Squirt got out from wherever he was living and somehow had gotten himself stuck in the fence in David's backyard. At the time, David had two dogs and a cat and did not have room for him. Of course, we took him in with the intention of finding his owner.
I had never considered having that small of a dog. Squirt was a chihuahua. Buttons, the dog we had when I was growing up, was small but not chihuahua small! Well, after multiple attempts at finding his owner, no one came forward. I was not about to take Squirt to a shelter because chihuahuas are right behind pit bulls in the breed that will get put down because of overpopulation. Long story short, Squirt became ours and he was a part of the family for the next ten years. Those were some of the best years of my life. I am a caregiver by nature so having someone to look after on a daily basis suit me just fine. And he helped us as much as we helped him.
The memories of Squirt are always with me. Sometimes they are more prevalent than others. The other night when Sally and I went to see Les Miz, we had dinner around the corner from my house at a restaurant called Sticks and Stones. Incredible food, by the way. But as we were leaving, I pointed out the restaurant next door. It's a burger place called Emma Keys and it has some of the best burgers in Greensboro. I told Sally about getting burgers for us at Emma Keys on Thursday nights. Michael would often work late on Thursday nights, so I would be on my own for dinner. Several times a month I would go to Emma Keys to get burgers for me and Squirt. I would always get him a plain burger with no bun for him to enjoy. I'm sure he was not the only dog out there to get an $8 burger all to himself each week but it was a special time for us. He would snarf that burger down and finish his well before I was done with mine. He loved it and I loved doing it for him.
I am looking forward to opening up my home and my heart to another dog one day. No one will ever take Squirt's place in my heart but somewhere out there is a dog who will love his $8 Thursday night burger!
I have also noticed that my sleeping has been much more successful this week. I sleep through longer periods of the night. I was normally waking up 6 or 7 times every night. While I had no trouble going back to sleep it was still kind of annoying. Now I have actually started to feel rested when I wake up. That is a good feeling and a great way to start my day. I am also loving getting out of the house and being outside. While I am taking the same route around my neighborhood right now, it is still nice to look around at my surroundings and take it all end. I am able to clear my head and just enjoy the experience. That makes it much for of a desirable thing to do. So far so good for 2026!
As much as I like having goals and looking forward to what my future has in store for me, I want to spend more time in the present moments of life. Being fully present in each moment and engaging with the people and things that surround me. While thinking ahead is not a bad thing, living for the moment is the key to creating beautiful memories. At least it is for me and I want to focus on that.
This morning, I have been looking for a song that has a message of hope in it. I chose this one because it is one of the first songs I ever learned to sing thanks to The Wizard of Oz. Because of sentiment, Judy's version will always be my favorite, but this one is so powerful by Eva Cassidy. Her voice was such a beautiful instrument and if you aren't familiar with her, you should be. Gone too soon and I can only imagine what else she may have done in her career. I hope you enjoy it.
This month, I am going back to aerobic exercise of some kind each day. I have been getting out and walking some each day the last few days and I definitely feel better when I do that. It is not only about exercise, which is definitely good for me, but it is also about mental health. I don't look at my phone while I am out walking. I just focus on my surroundings and spend time thinking about different things. It's time that I'm not doom scrolling or worrying about things I have no control over. That is good for me. And yes, the exercise is good too. I know that this year I will probably face some health changes that need to be made. I will let you know more after I see my doctor next week. But I want to go ahead and build a foundation of aerobic exercise that I can build upon. We shall see!
