Blog 48 Neighbors on the Walk (Gary)

   I recently met Corrine and Bob, who have a home at the trailhead, and made immediate friends with them because I took a liking to their old dog.  I think it was because the dog took a liking to me as well.  They showed me the house that was for sale across from theirs and even invited me to come up The Hill with them while they changed the community water filter.  What a treat.  I didn't go with them but instead took their suggestion of a shortcut down The Hill along with information regarding a closer and legal place to park.  Wow, it certainly pays to extend oneself.  I always say to my clients that everything happens out of relationship, so here it is.  What a pleasurable return on investment.  Sometimes we can get a little selfish in how much we interact with people because we become consumed with our full minds.  Yes that includes me.

            Speaking of others on The Hill, there is Hanna the Akita whom we pass on most hikes.  She is there to bark at us, as that is her job, and occasionally when she is lazy, she just ignores us like we are old news.  We were blessed to have her on the trail with her master, a delightful lady and her new baby, one day last year.  I took their picture and emailed it to her.  That was sweet.  Most times I would just say hi and keep moving, but this day Mark and I took a minute and I made the offer of a picture.  Now she has a pleasant keepsake of herself and her baby in Nature with her dog.  Simple gifting can delight the soul.  It was Bianca, Hanna, and Jessie, and now, a year later, it's Bianca, Hanna, Jessie, and Paula.  Another picture, another email.  We now seem to have a ritual of doing this twice a year by running into each other by chance.

            Another time I made a good attempt to get what seemed to be a lost dog back home.  Initially he startled me a bit—okay, a lot—as he came around the corner.  I am always hoping to see a mountain lion so when I saw him come around the blind bend it was a relief to see he was a dog.  You know how that is: Watch out for what you ask for.  I read his name and the phone number off his tag, and called the owner to rendezvous at the trailhead, but the dog took off again.  I had to let him go.  I called the owner and that was it.  Then I ran into a biker and asked him to assist.  We ran into each other on another hike and he said the dog had followed him to the top and he seemed to have found his way home.  We now share that little saga every time we meet.  That's another sweet story from The Hill.

            I got it.  This is all about proving myself.  The climb, the hardship, the heat, the cold, the pain; I get to keep proving myself on a regular basis.  There is no moment lost.  And maybe I will make a connection along the way.  Maybe that is why I notice whether Diane, or whatever her name is, and her daughter notice me at the end of the trail because they have seen me before.  Sandy, who lives on The Hill, talks to me.  Then there’s Corrine and Bob who say hello.  I am seeking validation of existence.  I have always known that but not known that.  Ah, the value of connection and not feeling alone.

            I have found that life is much fuller and richer when seen as a series of shared experiences and a validation of the value of each other.  Sometimes it’s a simple smile or nod.  I get just a little high from the smile or nod back that tells me I am not alone.

            I encourage everyone to reach out to the small spark of life that passes from one soul to another as it energizes and lifts the spirit.  It’s also a reminder of your humanity.

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