Where the dog chooses a different direction

Old growth
London, ON
October 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The dog and I took the road less travelled this morning.

We turned right instead of left as soon as we exited our subdivision, and ended up on a path through the woods.

Normally, Calli the wonderpuppy isn't a fan of detouring off the familiar path. She's a creature of habit, and will whine incessantly at the slightest nudge away from her usual route. She'll stand her ground, pulling back on the leash until we return from whence we came.

This morning was oddly different. Maybe it was the quiet - it's Canadian Thanksgiving today, so the streets were absolutely still. Maybe it was the time, as for the first morning in months, she slept in. Bless her little heart.

Whatever the reason, she happily bounded down the steps down into the ravine, and eagerly explored the path as we meandered alongside the winding creekbed. She even behaved herself as we encountered other dogs along the way. Well, "behaved" is relative: She didn't freak out as she usually does. That's good enough for me.

And she sat quietly as I took the occasional photo to remember an all-too-fleeting morning.

Because soon enough, we'll all be back to our usual rushed routines. The traffic will return. She'll once again be up before the sun. The colors will fade.

And we'll wonder if we've been doing enough to hold onto moments like this one. That slip into history more quickly, and quietly, than we'd like.

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