Yesterday my dog and I went for a walk along the river. I was enjoying myself, but my thoughts were wandering, and I wasn’t completely focused on my surroundings. The leash dragged a bit behind me so I stopped and looked back at Madigan to see what caught her attention.
She had her sweet white face pressed into a plant right at the edge of a bridge and she voraciously inhaled. I gave her a few moments to enjoy it, and as we stepped away, she smiled so completely that I instantly felt my mood elevate.
The look of pure, unadulterated joy on her face from the scent lit me up from the inside. The simple act of smelling a plant, one that she has probably sniffed many times before, made her happier than some of my favorite life moments have made me.
As we continued walking, I paid more attention to the blissful day around me. The fact that at the end of May, the temperature is still flirting around 85 instead of the normal 100 degrees we have at this time of year. The light breeze ruffling through my shirt and hair. The sight of Madigan’s little tail waddling in front of me.
It was a pretty perfect moment.
When I first started to write this post, I was post walk and feeling good and positive. I woke up today, however, feeling grumpy. I tried to shake it off at the gym to no avail. Cleaning my house did not give me the instant gratification I thought it would. Even chatting with friends hasn’t improved my mood as quickly as it normally does.
But reading back through this post and thinking about that look on Maddie’s face is doing the trick. It’s inspiring me to take more time to notice and appreciate the little things. So even though I sat down at this table with a coffee, a to-do list, and a small scowl on my face, now I’m taking the time to enjoy the amazing view of the mountains to my right and the palm trees blowing in the wind in front of me. I’m appreciative of the fact that I’m having a good hair day, and I’m ready to finish the rest of my day more like Madigan.
I’ll even try to smile!