Sunday Night With John: A Boy and His Dog

A Boy and His Dog 

John Paul Derryberry 

In the pursuit of a better life I, like many of us, forget to soak in the present. In the process of trying to reach the next life goal, we often lose sight of the beautiful things right in front of us.  As I was doing my morning routine the other day, my mind was anywhere but on enjoying the moment.  I was off in future-land, thinking about the next speaking engagement, the next goal of my non-profit, and where life was headed. 

My dog, Marv, comes into the room and bows at me, and then in his mischievous way, throws his body on the ground and begins to trash and roll. He stops on a dime and barks at me. Marv is sending me an invitation to play. I have not accepted these invitations as much as I used to, but this day, I smile at my dog and jump on the floor with him. 

Marv and I play fight, and chase each other around the house, to the delight of my wife, who mentions it's good to see you enjoying a moment instead of having your head fixed on the future. Mid-play-fight, Marv barks again and then hurdles the couch in an attempt to up the ante of our session. I barrel-laugh and charge in pursuit of my four-legged friend. For the moment I'm no longer a 36-year-old man thinking about how to connect to a broader audience or to grow the non-profit I lead. 

I'm transferred back to being a nine-year-old boy whose only thought is this moment. I'm entirely engaged. I'm laughing at my pup's enjoyment of chasing me and, in return, my chasing him. Here's the rub. We are never guaranteed the future that we focus on so intently, so we should enjoy the time we get. However, if we do not create a place for the future our next moments might not be as enjoyable.  Crafting that balance between being a responsible adult, who is planning and prepping for the future, but also returning to our nine-year-old optimism and youthfulness, is vital. 

At nine, I did not worry about my five-year plan. I worried about the next fun activity. The world needs more people who think like nine-year-olds that anything is possible and, just maybe, the most important thing going on in your life is right in front of you. Marv, my doughy-eyed pup, reminds me daily how vital staying present is. He is my quickest transport from 36 to 9. He and I get there with one playful, inviting bark. 

These moments make me a better man, a better husband, and a better social worker.  We need these moments, where you shake off the anxiety of the unknown, where the worries you may never live to see fade away, and the future is some far off distant land you have no need for. You become nine again, and the world opens back up to the possibility of anything happening because you are in the present. And this moment feels whole. It contains all the best life has to offer. You are a nine-year-old boy with a loyal friend. You are reminded of what it means to live and the most important reason to carry on with life-- Love. 

The future will have to wait because the rest of today I'm just a boy playing with his dog. My four-legged friend reminds me of all that is good with the world and why, sometimes, we must slow down our march into the future. A bow, a roll, and playful bark: who knew that was the key to putting everything into perspective.