Take a Dog’s Lead and Take a Pause

As I was putting the final touches on that last blog post, I noticed my dog leaning against my backpack penetrating me with this dreamy look.  That “look” that says,

“I’m exactly where I want to be — right here with you.”

Kiai (key-eye) walks, smells and marks with me to work almost everyday.  That roundtrip from home to office is just shy of three miles.

He never objects even though he’s pushing 11 years old. That’s good for a Leonberger. That’s not so good for someone I consider one of my closet friends — especially since he has a weird habit of aging faster than me.

This dog doesn’t take life too seriously. Kiai defines regal. He’s benevolent. If he chose the wild over me I’m sure he’d be the pack leader. He trained both my cats to “come” and “bark” like dogs. I’m grateful for a dog by my side that causes me to pause and work a little less hard.  I’m also thankful for an iPhone camera that lets me share this “snapshot” moment with you. May you have your own dose of “chill” delivered effortlessly each and every day like I do. I used a Canon 5D over a decade ago to capture the photograph of Kiai as an 8-week old puppy. For higher quality images of Kiai, please visit the portfolio I’m building at SmugMug. You can also see some shots by clicking on my blog’s Photo tab. Why do I have a backpack in my Pioneer Square office? Earthquake readiness — assuming we don’t get squished by the bricks of this old building. We have enough dog food for three days. Breathe deep and often friends.  Life is precious and, in my case — hairy.

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