Looking Around

Looking Around

(The Dog Star is a symbol of power, will, and steadfastness of purpose, and exemplifies the One who has succeeded in bridging the lower and higher consciousness. – Astrological Definition)

Koufax generally takes a good look around. He’ll sit for a moment or simply stand stock still while he rotates his head. It saves him a lot of unnecessary trips (his onboard computer can tell him whether he has a chance of catching the squirrel) and I believe he simply enjoys it. (One dog expert posited that dogs are at their happiest doing absolutely nothing, an observation I’ve seen no reason to dispute.)

I had watered two small evergreens I’ve transplanted from a tangle of growth they don’t belong in to a nice spot overlooking the pond, and I decided just to stop and look around. After a few minutes I saw two fish, which tells me that our restocking was probably a success (that and the presence of Great Blue Herons and Black Crowned Night Herons with regularity). I saw turtles hardly visible on the mud flats, and a snapping turtle nest where the eggs had been dug up. (That happens all the time, yet the snappers clearly successfully perpetuate the species.)

Then, under a row of hastas, I saw a snake. We’ve had snakes here for 25 years, but they’re seen very rarely. We call this guy a “racer” because of his neat racing stripes, but he’s probably a garden snake. He’s about a foot long, which means he’s been around for a while.

Fortunately, Koufax wasn’t around and Buddy Beagle would probably be scared by the forked tongue. I was mesmerized.

That’s what happens when you stop to look around. You see things that you miss when you run through the place. You may be missing opportunity, gratification, clients, financial return, adventure. You need to stop and look.

I believe that’s what the snake was doing, probably now telling his buddies that he saw me.

© Alan Weiss 2011. All rights reserved.