How puppies make the ordinary extraordinary

May I please have my treat now?
London, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

On an ordinary Sunday morning, an ordinary guy badly in need of coffee dons a pair of sandals, hooks up the leash and heads out into an ordinary neighborhood for an ordinary walk with an ordinary-looking puppy. The scene probably repeats itself countless times in countless neighborhoods near and far.

I do this walk with her every morning - and if we're being absolutely precise, every afternoon, evening and late-night, as well. As we approach each intersection, we've trained her to stop, sit, and stay until we clear her to cross. Again, a seemingly ordinary thing in the life of an ordinary guy and his ordinary dog.

But here's the thing: It isn't ordinary. Although countless other ordinary folks walk countless other ordinary dogs in countless other ordinary-looking neighborhoods, this one is special. To me and to her. And if I could hover over all the walking dogs and their owners in all those other places, I'm pretty sure those moments would be special to them, as well.

I don't know what Calli is thinking as she's looking up at me and waiting for the "cross" command. I hope she's as happy to have this seemingly ordinary moment as I am. I hope she appreciates the Zen of a quiet stroll through the hood, the blessing of alone time, the break from the chaos of the planet around us. I know she doesn't think about endings, but I do. That we only get so many of these walks together. That we've got to try a little harder to hold onto moments like these before we no longer have them. That the most ordinary moments can create the most extraordinary memories.

A few seconds after I took this, she got her treat and we crossed the street on our way back home. I needed a photo to remind me why I cherish the ordinary as much as I do. Because there really is no such thing as ordinary.