Rumi Diaries
Lessons from our dog
Rumi loves his ball with single-minded focus, to the exclusion of all else. He can even be distracted away from his treat with a ball. That is a big deal in dog universe. I enjoy our time together because there is a grand silence with no chatting back and forth. Also, the rules we play by are very simple. I throw the ball and he rushes to catch it mid air, always managing to do so. Some of his catches are pretty impressive. But he does it for no adulation, just for the joy of the catch. Then having triumphed, he will refuse to let go of it unless I ignore him and act like I do not care if he has the ball or not. Next, dropping the ball in front of me to grab my attention, he will give me a little head nod prompt to have me throw it again. Mind you he will only let go of it when he knows I will not deny him access to it. Rumi loves his freedom. On cue, I will then pick the ball up, throw it, for the cycle to be repeated. Its funny how his attention will never waiver from the ball, It is amazing how he never tires of this game. He can play it hours on end, morning and night. There is no boredom over the monotony and there is no abatement in the intensity with which he will pursue the ball every single time. I know that this comes from being in the present moment. There is no baggage of “been there done that” re the past, or “why do I have to keep doing this over again – is there not something more exciting out there for me to pursue? Enough already with this!” re the future. Also, the game is not played for glory or self-aggrandizement just for the joy of catching the ball mid air. The reward is in the doing? There are several lessons there for all of us humans.
