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Volume 7, Number 6
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OLegs, Lungs, Pups, and Poo
THE LARGE INTESTINE, an organ most active in fall months, resonates with
the emotion of grief, or simply sadness. In Julie Bear Don’t Walk’s article
“Protecting Your Body in Autumn” (Page 46), she recommends that we
honor our feelings, then let them go. This is what I did a few years back. I
was trying to sidestep sadness and found myself insufferably irritated with
everything, even the poor dog. I wrote about it in my journal:
I ran a 5K today and took my dog, Maizie. I don’t usually like to take her,
as she’s a handful and I’d rather run hands-free, but she needed the exercise.
As soon as we headed out, she was pulling, then stopping abruptly, all the
while loosening my humerus from its socket. I felt myself growing annoyed,
angry, and, yes, controlling.
By the time we reached the trailhead, I just let go. Literally, I let go of the
leash. I just accepted that she didn’t want to be held back, and neither did I.
The funny thing is, after a few spurts of full-on, doggy-hauling-cheeks laps,
she dropped into a trot a few paces behind me, dragging her own leash. It was
a huge relief to just let go. Maizie got to race around and feel unfettered; I got
to find a comfortable and uninterrupted running pace. We enjoyed our 30
minutes or so without conflict, without frustration, without worry.
By the end of the trail, we were both pooped out and quite happy. I took
my pup’s leash, now black with mud, and noticed that she’d rolled in some
sort of wild animal excrement. And it wasn’t just on one side of her, but both!
I guess this was a life lesson, really. When you let go of things that upset you,
you don’t necessarily stop the annoying stuff from happening or hurting; you
just stop trying to control it. Annoying stuff is always there, and trying to
control it only causes the controller burnout, exasperation, moodiness, or,
worse, illness.
Maizie was no more or less happy for having rolled in poo (well, maybe
a little happier), because she would’ve tried to roll in it anyway, yanking
the leash and me with her. She
did need a bath, so letting go of
the leash, risking the inevitable,
provided a final motivation for that
chore to happen. In the meantime,
I made myself happy with so much
less frustration, a decent run,
and finally, a really happy — and
clean — dog.
How have your pets, your kids,
or other situations in your life
encouraged you to let go? Email
me, JDenney@MotherEarthLiving.
com. I’d love to learn more.Jean Denney
@JeanMarieDenney@Jean.Denney