Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Every dog has its day...


I don't do pets. If it were not for the insistence of my son we would not even have the low maintenance tortoise, Crawler that we have. House pets gross me out- the smell, the fur...etc. But there was a time I was recently reminded of when I did love a dog. It seems almost inconceivable now. Ginger was our family mutt during my whole childhood. She was a small reddish dog, intelligent, loyal and loving. She stayed out back. Over the years she was , eventually a bit neglected, but when she was suddenly gone it was surprising how keenly I felt the loss. She just wasn't there anymore. I took for granted how she tailed us to the bus in the morning. Or how she would happily bound around us as we played in the backyard. You could talk to her and she acted like she knew exactly what you were saying.She was that constant source of love that everyone forgot about because it was there all the time, in the yard, big brown eyes, patient and wise with age. Ginger watched all of us grow up and forget about her. Then, one time when we had all left on a family trip, and we had left her in the care of a neighbor, she left and never returned. I wonder if she knew she was dying, or got hit by a car, or thought we had finally abandoned her...I don't know. Years have gone by and I rarely think of her. Then this summer, on the beach there was this sweet, friendly, "undisgusting" dog. I was amazed at how satisfying it felt to cuddle and stroke this dog...I thought of Ginger fondly. I wondered why we take unconditional love for granted. Why do we forget to give it back? I don't know. Now, to this day I can't abide the thought of ever owning a dog...is it partly because I know, deep down I can't give it what it wants from me? Maybe. I wonder, because, I didn't always detest dogs...so I ponder what made the change.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Lemon Fresh


I don't write enough on this blog. I have so many little thoughts and vignettes that I should put on here but - don't seem to get around to it as often as I would like. My boys are in the other room playing with their new Christmas toys. Holiday decorations are put away, the house guests have gone.I have a crazy burst of energy right now. I found myself scrubbing the tile floor with a big brush, on hands and knees with a bucket of water. The kind of old school cleaning that actually gets the job done. Speaking of cleaning- I have been on a cleanse since January first. Day four of not eating, only drinking glass after glass of that lemony concoction...I feel amazing. I bought a juicer yesterday- I intent to go onto a juice binge after my cleanse. I wanted to start the New Year right. Clean out the body, the closets, the mind and start fresh. It is an invigorating and spiritual endeavor. It is funny how many benefits can come from one principle. Fasting is so empowering...and it isn't just a practice for the religious- It is a necessary practice for your body (which is probably why God has told us to do it- like so many other things there are dual purposes to his will that we don't always see until Science catches up. Kind of like how negative thoughts actually alter our brains- he knew that before we did- "watch your thoughts..."that's why we obey just because he said so- he knows.. )
If you have ever done a cleanse- you know what I mean. My last cleanse was in the spring...I did it for ten days and I felt incredible. My mind and body was alert and quickened. The juice fast that comes after the cleanse is recommended to be forty days. I may do the whole thing. SO much of it is mind set, too- for health and for enlightenment...I have had such a positive experience with it in the past I am actually excited to do this twice a year as recommended. Anyhow, that is what is new here, 2008 is here and I am ready for it, lemon fresh.