1. That there’s lots to notice. She can find the tiniest piece of twig incredibly interesting, and bury her face in a shrub as if something really, really exciting is happening. Now, I don’t actually find a lot of pleasure in sniffing leaves or the ground myself, and I don’t usually carry twigs around using my mouth. But while she does these things I start noticing the buds on the trees are about to open, and there are one or two snowdrops appearing or the grey sky has a scrap of blue. Something exciting is happening!
2. It is important to stop to listen to the birds. She demonstrated this to me on one of her very early walks around the garden. It was just getting light and she sat down, put her head slightly to one side and listened. The dawn chorus continued with the calls rising and flowing - a harmonious cacophony. She is 10 months old now and still does it. I praise God for this moment at the start of the day.
3. The joy of darkness and the stars. Out we go in the evening and she will not stray far from me in the dark. But she looks up and I do too, into the deep, dark distance scattered with the pinpricks of light. So humbling and majestic.
4. To keep precious items safe and to define what is precious. OK, this one is me being trained by the puppy’s bad behaviour. I’ve replaced two chewed laptop leads, several glasses cases, one pair of (my favourite) prescription glasses, a new book (just one when the house is full of books) and more pens and pencils than I can count. The list goes on. And bibles, cards, special ornaments etc go higher and higher.
5. That I must sit at a table if I want to write on my laptop or iPad. Otherwise she thinks I am doing nothing important and will try to play, or decide she needs to climb on my lap, adding her own heavy-pawed addition to my text on the way, somewhat interrupting my story and thoughts.
6. Calming down with music with birdsong. I tried this with her, building on her love of the dawn chorus. I started with YouTube music and found it worked with me too, especially if I allow her to sit on me while we listen and she can see the video of the birds. This time when I could gently stroke her was much needed in the first few months when I was searching for some bonding time to offset the sheer exasperation I felt when she chewed something else, jumped up to our startled visitors, chased our cat or puddled where she shouldn’t.
Looking back at this list, I can see that I am appreciating God’s creation more and have some new ways of being still and quiet.
But, let’s be realistic, I guess the most important thing Flossie is teaching me is that I’m not the patient person I thought I was!
I am now learning patience by training a very lively, naughty puppy, who nonetheless is teaching me too.
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