If you are like me, this quarantine has lost its novelty.  I’m ready to go hiking, have another person cook a meal, and hug someone other than my husband (though I do like hugging him).  But I know that we are not quite at a point where we can resume our normal activities.  This has forced me to work through my frustration with the situation while striving to make the most of it.  

 Every morning, after I finish my workout, I take the dogs for a walk and throw the ball.  Actually, I’m throwing the ball for Marlee, while JacX is biting Marlee’s collar trying to slow him down. In February (before the yearlong March), we had JacX spayed.  This required us to keep her on a leash during these morning walks.  She didn’t like it. Being on-leash meant she had to watch as her brother chased after the ball.  But she did make the most of it by grabbing the ball when he dropped it in front of me. She’s adroit enough to get him to chase her, even though she’s on a six-foot leash.  Her hair up, loving the chase, she dashed behind me and dodged away from Marlee. Marlee, for his part, quickly tired of the game and resorted to staring at me to get the ball back for him. I, however, found this whole exchange very amusing! 

We can either act like Marlee or like JacX.  Marlee – asking someone else to correct the situation – or JacX, making up a game that she can still play!

Our lives are often marked by the big moments – weddings, birth of a child, holidays – but what I think makes life more meaningful is enjoying the small moments. 

I challenge you to find joy in the situation in front of you. Borrowing from Gary Larson’s cow philosophy, “As you travel life’s highway, don’t forget to stop and eat the roses.”