Bringing Leo to a new place helps me discover things I would have otherwise missed. Leo senses things differently, hears noises I would have ignored, smells tracks of animals I will never understand. By taking him, my senses are awakened. Sometimes that is good. I appreciate that the sound of the boats on the water are a new and interesting phenomena. Something I have heard most of my life, I don’t really even take note. But Leo stops to observe – to see what is going on in this strange place. I am reminded of the simple pleasures of simply walking in the grass and enjoying the scenery. Sitting on the porch and observing what peaks his interest changes my mindset. That is all good.
What I don’t always appreciate is the things that startle him. The sound of a docked boat as the edge rubs the dock is no big deal to me. But to Leo – it is foreign. He takes note and seems to be a little startled by it. And every time a boat passes the dock, it happens again…and again…and again. Yet, he never really grows accustomed to it. He hears the barks of dogs far away and is immediately intrigued. That’s fine except I don’t plan to go find those dogs as he wishes I would. This strange place takes him out of his element.
The gift is the longer we stay in this place, the more familiar it becomes. The sounds don’t seem to rattle him. He grows accustomed to the water and the boats – still intrigued but not astonished. The couch becomes familiar. His family is here with him so the environment has a “home” feeling. He begins to adjust, if just for a short time. He begins to relax and so do I.
While my dog, Leo, obviously has to adjust to a different place, so do we. We find ourselves in different life stages. We lose someone we love. Our kids go off to college. There is a new baby born. Jobs carry us to new towns, cities and locations. All of these take adjustment – sometimes a difficult task. We are, if but a moment, out of our element. But if we can hang on, we will begin to sense the familiar. There is a place of rest. There is a chance to simply breathe. It may take some time. It may take a lot of time. But that’s okay. Hang on…adjustment is coming.
May you receive peace when you find yourself out of your element. May you discover the joys that are all around. May you simply breathe.
Focus Scripture:
Genesis 12:4-5
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 