The toughest part about walking is stopping what I’m doing and pushing myself out the door. But once my feet hit the driveway, I’m ready to dive into the adventures of the great outdoors.
My walks consist of pondering, talking to God, and setting my spirit free. The dishes can scream their dirty little heads off, but I can’t hear them. I don’t even know them. This is my time. My walk. And I’m not stopping till my legs fall off.
My favorite walks are on wooded trails, but since there are none close by, I walk around the neighborhood, with its wide-open areas and rolling hills, serving as pleasant reminders of the pasture it was.
One day last summer, I turned down a road and was met with a German Shepherd. He was a puppy. A big puppy, on the brink of becoming a full-grown, mean-looking beast, so I kept an eye on him as I continued walking.
I never run from a dog. Ever! I stand and face the bully, my walking sticks loaded for battle. As I continued walking, he continued barking and running around across the road. Then, like a curious cat, he ran to me and sniffed my hand. Okay. Sniffing is good. He’s not growling and flashing his teeth; he just wants to play. I hope.
Suddenly, he ran around me and jumped on my back, nearly knocking me to my knees. Frantically, I poked him in the ribs with my walking sticks, but like a stubborn bull, he wouldn’t budge.
Now I’m scared. I’m going to fall and break every bone in my body, and this beast is going to eat me alive! This is getting serious now. He’s not the playful puppy I thought he was, and I’m not the girlfriend he thought I was. Somebody is going to lose this battle, and it won’t be me!
Finally, two guys ran to my rescue, neither of whom owned the dog, but they knew who did, and the only family member that was home was parked in the middle of my back!
After much tugging and pulling, both guys managed to set me free without any bloodshed or broken bones. I continued my walk in one piece and decided to never walk down that street again!
Straight From the Heart 