Sometimes I love to just stand at the door and look out at one of the biggest blessings in our lives. Sarah Jane has been with us over four-and-a-half years and not one minute with her is dull. She's our best bud and she knows it.
Just before leaving for my courthouse reporting duties one morning I stopped to pick up a couple of dollar breakfast sandwiches at a local fast food joint. I'd never had these before, and I was very pleasantly surprised to find them hot, tasty and a bit too filling. No way could I finish two, and I can't stand to waste anything so I put on my thinking cap.
It was a bit after 8, and it occurred to me that someone was probably walking the dog about now. No, I wasn't going to give the sausage, egg and cheese delight to the pooch but I knew her walker would gladly accept it.
I headed up Main and as I crested the slight slope at Second I stared toward the next stoplight. Sure enough, there they were. I saw a white ball cap and just a bit below that was a curly tail bouncing toward the west. I moved to the turn lane so I could pull up on the proper side of Third Street.
I've caught up with the man and his best bud before, but never with food in tow. As I slowed and pulled up to the curb, Sarah Jane lifted her nose from the ground, focused on the white car and tilted her head in that quizzical way of hers. I love it.
When she was told, "Hey, there's The Woman!", Sarah bounded to the car and placed huge muddy paws on the passenger door--inside and out. She sniffed toward the food bag, and once she was safely away from it, I handed it over. Now I could leave for the rest of the work day with a smile on my face.
It seems like this happened just yesterday but it was over a week ago. I was reminded again of this pleasant memory because we can still see the muddy paw prints inside the passenger door. I've been a bit too busy to take care of the dried mess and today I'm thankful for that.
Do you have sights, sounds or smells that bring a smile to your face? I think we all have something; maybe it's a song or the smell of bread baking or the taste of homemade chicken and noodles.
Some sights that give me a grin have to do with cruising over to Mom's for coffee, goodies and conversation. The road going down to her house is a nightmare at the moment (well, it's been a bad dream for a couple of years; now it's a full-blown nightmare), but once inside the cozy kitchen we soon forget about the bumpy road and get right to the fun stuff. Over the years we've had so many memorable visits there I can pull one up and watch it like a movie in my head.
Another happy sight is seeing my sister walking toward me whenever we get a chance to visit in person. That happened last week in Geneseo and I've brought that sight to mind over and over again simply because I love her to pieces and miss her something fierce.
Sounds that soothe are usually connected to songs, and I have to admit that I now have a ringtone from Jaron and the Long Road to Love's "Pray For You". My sister warned me not to get it because her youngest daughter had it and when it went off, she got nothing but glares from those within earshot. I do love Sis, but I don't always listen to her. That song may not soothe anyone; I like it because it makes me laugh.
I like the sound I make as I put supper together. I start off with telling Sarah, "Time to make supper", and she's in the kitchen in a flash. Her body makes a thunk! as it hits the floor; that's the beginning, followed by the sounds of dishes placed on the table, the rattle of silverware and the sound of the five o'clock news starting.
The smell of fresh coffee brewing, cinnamon rolls baking or turkey roasting bring a smile to most people. There are far too many delectable aromas to mention, and they're different for everyone anyway.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is this: We're bombarded today with news that makes us nervous, angry and fearful. I don't want to bring up specifics because we're hearing and reading about them every day. And I'm not saying we should stick our collective heads in the sand and let the world sail by without us.
Bad things happen and they always will. Too often they outshadow the good and lovely and wonderful things going on in our daily lives. We can turn that around and make a real difference in our outlook on life.
Some day when you have a few minutes, why not grab a favorite drink, a piece of paper and a pen and find a quiet spot to think. Put a title like, "These things make me happy" and make three columns, one each for sights, sounds and smells. The physical act of reminding yourself of what makes you happy should bring a smile to your face. It worked for me.
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