I just experienced an incredible moment. Bloggable, spiritual, affirming in so many ways that we are doing... doing the best we can.
In the office these past couple days, the emails and calls and email replies and IM's... and I was just a little stressed out. I needed a reset. So I grabbed the Ipod and the leash and me and Sunny the Wonderdog headed for the Willow Creek Reservoir.
Almost immediately the stress washed away. In Minnesota right now, we are enjoying a stretch of weather that is as close to perfect as you will find. Overnights lows in the 50's. Windows open. Bright stars. Daytime highs in the 70's with a high blue sky. Just about as good as it gets and this morning was no exception.
Sunny comes out of the gate strong when we get to the reservoir - her nose working at peak performance. A chase of a squirrel, a paw dig in the dirt after an underground critter. Her senses are at high alert. Her ears are perked and tailed curved with maximum excitement. It's worth the effort just to see her so alive. But a dog in nature doesn't worry too much about pacing herself.
So halfway around the lake, Sunny is lagging behind with her tongue dangling about 4 inches longer than normal. So I kneel to scratch her ears and give her a moment to rest. She sits next to me and lets me. And I take in the beauty. The water was perfectly still. Birds are darting in and out of the wildflowers. James Taylor singing Sweet Baby James in my headphones.
Just a moment in time. I looked at Sunny and she looked at me and I said "ain't it great to be alive pup?" And she just smiled. And we just enjoyed the moment.
I stood up to continue the hike and looked up and there she was. Perched no more than 40 feet above my head was our eagle. Giant white head locked on me and Sunny. Just watching. I said "Good morning Shannon". And we headed for home...
