Walking had been my peace and my prayer. It had been my time of contemplation and consideration. That is, until I began walking with my Labrador Retriever, Ivy. Though nearly two years old, Ivy still engages every sight, sound, and opportunity that comes her way. Whether sticks and stones or branches and berries, nothing is off limits to Ivy.
As a result, I began looking down to see what she was doing in an attempt to keep her from eating something dangerous. I watched for people, pets, and squirrels, in order to keep her from jumping, barking, and chasing.
I shared this with my friend, Father George, telling him that by looking down, I was missing all the beauty around me. I decided that on future walks with Ivy, I would purpose to look up. As a result, on our early morning walks I began to see many things.
- a bird on top of the tallest tree; the “Twin Towers” of pine trees
- pine cones in various stages of growth (from green to brown)
- sun visible in the tree tops; a view of the river and the Delaware Memorial Bridge between certain houses
- birds flying from tree top to tree top across the road.
Each day I saw the leaves changing color as they released their hold on summer green and returned to brown, yellow, orange, and red. Each day a bit more, starting with a few leaves first, and then moving to a patch.
By not looking at Ivy, I realized I was using my other senses
- I heard the jingle of her tags
- I felt the pull as she lunged to eat something from the ground
- I sensed her looking at me when she needed to stop and sniff
The use of my senses was not limited to Ivy.
- Instead of looking at roses, I would stop and smell them, touch them, even kiss them
- I noticed that the scent is stronger in the older, weathered petals
- I rubbed the petals in order to release their scent—as I do with lavender
By not looking at Ivy, I began to trust her more, and she trusted me.
I began to wonder what I might experience as I started walking—how many birds would be resting on the leaf-less branches at the tops of tall trees?
- I noticed turkey vultures on high tension wires, one sun-soaking its expansive wings
- I watched clouds blowing east to west ahead of a storm; leaves turning over, falling to the ground; branches moving to show the white trunk of a sycamore that had lost its bark
- At hints of rain everything moves more quickly—people, dogs, squirrels, and cars.
One of the greatest values of looking up was meeting other people.
- I saw the man whose rose bush I admired. I told him how beautiful it was and how happy it made me; he cut me a bouquet and left it under the bush which I gathered on my way back up the hill
- I met a man named Tom who grew trees around his property: figs, apricots, apple, and olive; he showed me his garden and told me that grass was nice, but he preferred to have the land work for him; he sent me home with a bouquet of aging basil
- I saw the man with the roses again; autumn had begun and the blooms were near the end of their season; he cut four stunning roses which I proudly and gratefully carried home
Walking has returned to me, my peace. Walking with Ivy has returned to me, my prayer.