There's a Bear! Where? Over There!

It matters that dog lovers have dogs in their lives. "Bear" (pictured) is here two years after Tasha died. I think it really took us that long for hole in our hearts to be open to the shape of a new canine friend. Tasha memories are still pretty fresh but we are ready to make new ones.

Bear is about 60 lbs of focused energy and attention. I've never met a dog that looks so long and hard at you so as to really learn what is going on. This is not to say once he learns what we want it agrees with his desires, but we are working ourselves toward the Alpha role in his life. We know it takes time - especially for dogs who are thinking it all over.

He really does want to please us (most of the time) and is learning how to do exactly that. It is so great to have a wagging tail, wet nose, and perked up ears around the house again. He is a lot to contend with because of his size so we must soon win absolute Alpha status soon so no one gets hurt being dragged behind a leash.

His name will remain "Bear" as a reflection of his size, but not his attitude.

Sadly, we had to give Bear back to his previous owners because my allergies would not relent even after two weeks of and adjustment time. While this disappointment was real, it was lessened by the joy we saw at his reunion with his previous owner - who really did not want to give him up and is now finding a creative way to be able to keep him after all.

A happy ending? For Bear, yes. But we are resolved to find a pet that fits without giving me sneezing fits. We think we can wait till the spring, but we have been bit (in a good way) with the hunger to invite a four legged friend to live with us again. I guess we are on the same hypoallergenic search that our new president is on. A pet I can freely pet is would be nice.

Remember when travel was a great adventure?

What matters most when I travel is that I learn not resent the waiting. I remember how much fun it could be, playing in the back of the station wagon on trips to visit relatives. But over the years traveling has morphed into an intolerable delay that needs to be filled with electronic distractions or productivity.

Waiting as the wheels on the car turn around each and every mile. I can easily dread the 880 revolutions it takes each tire to take me one mile, and click of the airport or hospital room clock. My focus shifts away from living in the moments of life, and resorts to just noticing lifeless moments themselves. So how do I truly live while in the waiting moments of life?

I think life is most truly and deeply lived when we love.

Recently, even from Cincinnati to Indianapolis (and back), I looked past the first glance of boring terrain for something I could love. It became easy after a few minutes. The subtle majesty of the nature, the careful planning that designed and built the highways, the rhythm of the roadway under my car, the unknown stories about hopes and barns being raised in fields of dreams, and certainly my own desire to reach my destination. But how is it possible to love during the waiting?

Loving is only possible for me if I can see the person(s) behind the places and things. I focus on the God who made the trees, the ones who planned the roadway drainage, the ones who in hope are building their lives each day. Soon the appreciation wells up into love for others, and long cold seconds of relentless tire turnings melt unnoticeable into a warmth that gives flight to time. Sure I am left imagining most of the stories, but when I stop for gas and speak with the clerk, the reality of the little encounter births appreciation and fresh joy in the journey.

I will soon be driving more and more miles on a, soon to be familiar, stretch of otherwise boring roadway. I hope to remain intentional about finding and remembering those whom I meet along the way. Life can still be an adventure.

Rates that affect other Rates

It matters that the inflation rate, the rate at which companies fail, and the rate at which consumer confidence grows are all restored, because it affects other rates....

Everyone seems to have a "take" on the current financial issues in America and is able to talk about it to some degree - weighing in on what should be done and how soon. But I don't think just talking it out of our systems is going to do it for many of us. When I listen to some of those around me I hear the rate at which they talk increase. Driven by panic and fear, or just passion for a solution, the rate at which we are talking about this has increased. Let's keep an ear to the ground for those who need a place to vent, and maybe offer an eternal perspective on the trials of this life.

Additionally there is another sound I hear as I stand and try to keep up with the many ideas erupting. Our heart rates are increasing. Unlike getting worked up on a treadmill, I see and hear bodies stressing from worry with no "off" switch within their grasp, and the knowledge they are tethered to a machine they cannot escape. Some broke a sweat early when the wheels of this financial crisis began turning public, and others are still catching up to the fact they will need to pick up the pace to keep from being dragged along. Let's keep an eye on one another as this workout continues to test our strength and stamina.

The most alarming rate that could be affected is the suicide rate. I am praying for a weary and scared gentlemen I recently met who is in many ways "on the edge." I have done my part to make a referral to the only person I could that could help him, but I am beginning to allow thoughts of people taking final desperate acts to enter my mind. It is scary to realize many do not have family to move in with, if the bottom of the fragile economy cracks under them. I recently spoke with someone I highly respect about those who have let family relationships melt down. Pride is such a dominate thread in the fabric of the relationships we weave with our families. Some have struggled to push away (originally just far enough to define themselves) but find themselves more alone than they ever wanted to be. Not having anyone that you can go through life with, is a key ingredient in the recipe for personal disaster. Let's keep close to those around us, and break down any walls that keep the light of love from shining in on each other.

When times get tough, we need each other.

Dave