Weston likes to get dirty and loves being outside. She digs in the dirt, coming up for air with black earth covering her white face and paws. On our walks she finds smelly things and rolls in them. And as the serenity on her face in this photo shows, she really loved encountering cows and a farm for the first time. Her Kiwi side.
She also loves the clean up process. She’s met at the back door with two hot, wet wash cloths and lays down on the floor on a big towel. The dirt is wiped off, she gets a little massage and is wrapped in the towel like a burrito. Her New York side.
Most days, this scenario occurs when I at my busiest and ads time to my jammed-packed days. Like when I have guests upstairs, or checking in, or need to get to the office or out on a run. I see it happening – on the path of our walk, a large puddle appears and I just know she’s going to run through it. Or I’m hanging laundry with minutes to get out the door, and see a hole she’s working on and just know she’s going to disappear amongst the earth. I don’t have the time for it. It often drives me to try and persuade her to stay away, or to walk more quickly – I mentally beg her “please don’t get dirty!”
But she loves it. I mean, really loves it. So I’m learning to encourage it, and get joy out of seeing her happy puppy face, and muddy paws.
She’s teaching me to not worry about the mess – and to pursue the beauty and fun that can be found in these hectic, messy moments. To not focus on the dirty dishes in the kitchen, but on the smiles of the guests faces as they enjoy their breakfast. To not cringe at the weeds, but hear the praise for the garden. To not fret about the clean up, but relish in the moment.
To take a deep breathe, encourage what makes people smile and know that the clean up can be just as sweet.