I woke up today at 5am, gave Tootsie Roll a pat and tucked her in to some covers so she could be cozy while I got ready for school. Before I knew it an hour had passed, I was ready for school, and it was time to get Tootsie Roll up for some breakfast. Most of the hour I was on autopilot, I knew what I had done to get ready; but I can't say I focused on the things I was doing. When it was time to wake Tootsie Roll for breakfast my attention came back to that moment and the mind chatter stopped. I wanted to let her know I was there to wake and feed her, let her out to potty, and get her situated before I left for school.
My drive to school is a short one and one that I have done for 21 years. My walk in to the building and my routine to set up for the day have not changed much over the years either. This hour of my life each weekday is spent going through the motions but my mind is already on the multitude of tasks, beyond teaching, that need to be completed that day.
As I work on this blog I am also observing a Chinese class - as each moment goes by I am typing words, watching teaching, writing observation notes, searching for links to use in the blog post, editing my observation notes, rereading my blog post thus far. The human capacity to multitask can be a gift. It can be a necessity at times and it is something I am pretty good at doing.
Balance is also incredibly important; and in this case a balance between multitasking and being focused on on task is case in point. And for those of us who have a pet, our time with them is the perfect time to practice being present, to practice mindfulness, to practice focusing on the task at hand.
The next time you are petting your dog, just pet the dog. Think about how it feels, what it is doing for the pet, what it is doing for you.
The next time you are walking your dog, just walk the dog. Watch how he/she walks, what he/she stops to smell, look at the trees that pass by each moment, or the sky above you.
The next time you are giving your dog a treat, just give your dog a treat. Watch and know that your hand is taking the treat out of the jar. Notice the eye contact between you and your dog and you hand him/her the treat. Watch as the dog chews the treat and be there with the dog as he or she sits and waits for another treat.
Each moment your spend being present is a moment spent living your life; and when these moments are with your pets even better. It is in the present moment where we find our true being, where we are most alive. Don't let those moments slip by. Know that mindfulness, being present, will have long term positive benefits for you, your pets and the humans in your life.
Enjoy these really beautiful articles on the topics of mindfulness and pets:)
No comments:
Post a Comment