Foggy mornings are nice in San Francisco. Today, however is clear, so I want to make sure and take Wally for a walk before the heat rises. Living near the Golden Gate Park is great when you have a dog and no back yard to speak of. Wally, my ever vigil, energetic Australian Shepard, lets me know when he has to go out, if I haven’t got up on my own by then. Today I’m up and eager to keep my routine of running him up to the top of Buena Vista Park on the Haight. It’s an invigorating hike for me, but woods and few fat squirrels keep Wally romping through the underbrush non-stop. Thankfully this uses up some of that high-amped herd chasing energy of his!! At eight years old, you’d think he would slow down a little.
At times his multi-colored coat allows him to be camouflaged by the shadows. He’s good at that. His instincts always amaze me and I feel blessed and fortunate to have such a noble beast as my companion and friend. One thing I love about the path up East side of the park is all the roses. If there’s one thing a dog will do for you, it’s getting you to pause and take time to smell the flowers. Wally, does his own share of sniffing around, and usually ends up marking a bush for future reference.
Once at the top, I take the time to pause, enjoy the view and admire the skyline of the city by the bay. Breathtaking! I do a ritual meditation of Chinese Qui Gung while Wally burrows into a bush to keep a discrete eye on me. It’s calming and reassuring to know that whatever happens, he always has my back. I don’t have a girlfriend or any other close friend right now, and Wally seems to fill that space. There’s something to be said for an animal that loves you without question, and will defend you to the death without a second thought. Makes me feel a little less lonely somehow…
I take the path down the opposite side of the hill and with short verbal signal, Wally is following right behind. I may not have much in terms of monetary rewards, but today, I feel very lucky and blessed!
