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THE answer to this can be summed in two words – it’s Limitless.
It all really depends on the amount of attention we give them.
The more we study them the more they will fascinate us and very often they will give us lessons as to how we can best live our lives.
I don’t pretend for one moment to be in the league of David Attenborough or his likes but I would just like to write about some of observations I have made, and needless to say I’m sure you will have countless more to add to my list.
We got a beautiful farm Collie named Maxie about nine years ago. Over the years she has become part of our family and has taught us so much.
Example: Awareness. If a postman or other stranger comes within 100 feet or our house she barks like a lunatic. She obviously can’t see through brick walls so the question is how does she know that there is someone coming?
On a personal basis, I feel that she has a heightened awareness of some sort of energy field around her and should someone enter that field that sends her defence trigger into action. I find this fascinating.
One minute there is perfect silence in our house and within a few seconds it feels like the Third World War has erupted.
How wonderful it would be if we could develop awareness of our senses in the same way that animals do. They obviously have a highly developed sense of what they see, hear, taste, touch, and smell.
I have often seen her reject drinking tap water yet she will drink a copious amount or rainwater from what appears to be a dirty puddle outside.
I ask the question – who is right and who is wrong? Does she know something that I don’t?
P.S. Don’t worry you won’t find me slurping from a puddle outside my door.
Another great attitude I have learned from our dog is the concept of living in the moment. There is no recognition of future or past, all that matters is now.
For instance if I say to her “Now Maxie we will go for a walk in an hour” all she hears is two words ——‘Walk’ and ‘Now’
In other words Just Do It and do it Now. Her tail starts to wag with imminent excitement and no attention is paid to the weather be it inclement or not. You mentioned the word walk and it is happening now.
How often do we intend doing some exercise and we keep putting it off?
At home I call it developing the ‘Maxie Attitude’ and Just Do It Now! We live and learn.
I also notice how she never fails to do her stretching exercises before she heads out on her walk. Maxie yoga!!! —–Now where did she learn that from?
I certainly could learn from her so I suppose I should put into practice that old saying that ‘the sincerest form of flattery is imitation’.
• Next week I am going to write about — Blessed are the children
