Common Enchantment

Posted 34 Comments by dogear6
Vizsla sleeping on the couch, where he is NOT supposed to be.
Vizsla sleeping on the couch, where he is NOT supposed to be.

We wait, starving for moments of high magic to inspire us, but life is full of common enchantment waiting for our alchemist’s eye to notice.
– Jacob Nordby / Author, Speaker, Coach

We had a wonderful time visiting the kids in Atlanta.  My daughter is doing well, sprouting along in her 7th month of pregnancy.  My son-in-law is also doing well and like good husband’s everywhere, has learned to let it slide when his wife’s hormones kick in and she snaps at him.  Her father also got snapped at and he too just backed away.

As for me, she complained about how uncomfortable she is, how bad her heartburn is, and how junior won’t stop kicking her, especially at night.  As nicely as I could, I turned around, put a pleasant look on my face and said, “payback’s a bitch”.  She was not amused.

I started some steps towards a job search before I left and spent today doing a great deal more.  I’m still not settled into a routine nor have I been nurturing my creativity.  But late last night I wanted a simple project, so I processed up a sleeping dog.  The Vizsla is getting so gray!  He turned ten years old this month, so there is a reason for all the gray.

I was looking for a quote to match the picture, when I found the one above.  One thing my blog is full of are ordinary moments in a day.  Dog pictures, the backyard, walking at the local botanical garden are all part of my portfolio.  I have some spectacular pictures too – Acadia National Park, Harper’s Ferry (West Virginia), Charleston (South Carolina).  But my life is limited by my job and my time.  If I don’t find enchantment right here where I’m at, my life will be small and miserable.  I love the high magic as much as anyone, but it’s not realistic nor is it something to be seeking.

I need to notice the enchantment that is around me right where I’m at.  I need to enjoy and appreciate my life, whether buying groceries with my husband or talking to a recruiter about possible job opportunities here in town.  What better way to enjoy the little things than to pet a sleeping dog, stroke those soft ears, and maybe even get a little grunt of contentment from him?

Life is good.

To see other photos of the Vizsla, click here.

 

Dogs Life Lessons

dogear6 View All →

I am a backyard adventurer, philosopher and observer, recording my life in journals and photographs. Visit my blog at www.livingtheseasons.com.

34 Comments Leave a comment ›

  1. There are so many special moments, and they’re easily missed. Love the quote. Feel for your daughter at this stage of pregnancy.

    • She’s really hating being pregnant, even before she got big. And she’s still not all that big, but really uncomfortable. Both her and her husband were big babies (and are pretty tall adults), so I think junior will be big too.

      Part of why I like keeping my diaries is to keep track of the special moments. Because you’re right, they are so very easily missed.

    • Yes, but to the cat “entitlement” is meant for them and them alone. Dogs get no such consideration.

      Our other couch had a huge hole get chewed into it by a baby Vizsla. We put a slip cover on and used it up until a couple of years ago, when we finally decided the dogs were old enough and no longer randomly destroying as much stuff beyond the occasional lunch container and baseball cap. The container was high up on the kitchen counter, but the baseball cap mistakenly got left on the kitchen table.

      • The anxiety chewing has really diminished with Molly. Haven’t lost a dog bed recently…although there’s a heavy old bedspread folded over her current one…with just a few nibbles out of it. If I won’t get up right away in the morning, I hear this little clacking of teeth. Who needs and alarm clock?

    • I LOVE THAT! I’m definitely writing that into my notebook. Thank you!! This is what I love about comments. I write a post and you guys clarify it back to me. I love it.

  5. You have a great attitude and the recruiters will like that. (Did I ever mention I used to be a recruiter and I specialized in placing accountants and finance people like you!!) Life is good!!

    • I didn’t realize that’s what you did (recruiting for accountants & finance people). You’re right about the attitude though. One recruiter tried to trip me up into expressing anger about the whole thing and I refused to be baited. I’m not happy about it, but this is how life is. Thanks for the encouragement! It’s always good to hear from you.

      Nancy

  6. Life is good. I love this post, and now I wish I had a dog! I have a picture that I keep in one of my journals – it says – what a great life I’ve had, if only I realized it sooner. I cut it and kept it because, I’ve been that girl, it’s my fear that sometimes she sneaks back in.. My entire time at college, I took no time to relish it – was just always moving to what I thought should be the next thing. Never really enjoyed myself, never was grateful for the fact that I was able to walk that half a mile to my English classes. Some things, Im glad I did not have when I thought I wanted them, but now that I can truly appreciate them. Life is difficult, but it is good. :) Loved hearing you talk about your daughter! One of my best friends just had a baby last week, and I have no idea what to do for her. We don’t live close enough, that I could even sit and hold her baby. I wish I knew what I could do for her. .I send texts letting her know that I’m praying for her, but it seems so impersonal. Any advice for me Nancy?

    • I’ve had the same problem with not enjoying my life as it was at that moment. I really did that a lot when she was little. My job was so demanding, I traveled a lot, and I was just too tired and stressed out. It’s something I still struggle with. You’re right too that some problems turned out later to be much better blessings than I thought.

      As for your friend who had the baby, it’s a hard one to answer. New mothers are so overwhelmed, they’re getting too much unsolicited advice and all they want is to get some sleep.

      I’d suggest writing her a letter instead. Keep it upbeat, enclose a comic or some tea – or even a few bucks she can go to Starbucks with. The good thing about that is she can put it aside for when she has a few quiet moments and not feel pressured to read it right away like you do with a text. And letters have an unlimited shelf life – she can pull it out a number of times to read it. I’d just do one a week. Like I said, put something small in each one to make her smile. The Bigelow teas are affordable and a single pouch is easy to enclose. She can have it and think of you as she sips her tea. A flat piece of chocolate is good too (like a Ghiradelli square).

      Can you go visit but not stay with her? Maybe you have other friends or family near her? And when you visit, help with whatever she needs – cooking, cleaning, watching the baby so she can sleep. Even going to get groceries is a big help.

      Does that help?

      • Yes Nancy!! Your suggestions are absolutely helpful, thank you so much! Because I have done it before – sending tea – I think I will build on that. I love thw whole idea of having something that she can go back to. When I text I do tell her no need to reply, but I now that wouldn’t work for me, so no doesn’t work for her either. A letter would be nice I think, especially because people mostly email and such these days. Thank you Nancy for helping me out. I appreciate it so much!

  10. Ahh finding the extraordinary in the ordinary – that is what your photos do for me each time I see them. The dogs, the gardens – each has a way of elevating the subject to a different level.

    And in our family, we always say pregnancy trumps EVERYTHING – never argue, cajole, tease or otherwise annoy a pregnant lady! Or if you do, you are taking your life in your own hands!

    Have an extraordinary day!

    • But it was sure fun to poke the tiger!

      Thanks for the compliment on my blog. Sometimes I wonder why anyone bothers reading them and then one of you says that to me and it just makes my day. Thank you! And you have an extraordinary day also.

  11. Life is amazing and wonderful if we stop and look at what we have, glad you had a good time with your daughter…..love, Mom

  13. Hahaha – payback’s a bitch :). I can’t believe you were brave enough to say that to a pregnant woman! As for life, too many people nowadays are stressed out and focused on the negative. It’s up to us – we need to find our own enchantment whereever it may be and make our life good. Like today for instance. I’m home sick with the flu. Yesterday I had no energy to do anything, and it was not a nice day. However, today I am feeling a little bit better, but I still took another day off work, and I intend to sit and read to my heart’s content all day! I will find my enchantment in books :).

    • I can lose myself in my books for hours – such great entertainment!

      Yeah, it was probably stupid to say that to her, but I couldn’t resist. I waited a long time to let her have that one.

  14. Life is so good. I have no trouble fining enchantment. I wish more people could find it.
    BTW: My niece is 6 months pregnant. They say the baby has lots of hair when the mother has heartburn… watch out! :)

    • Well, she had a lot of hair when she was born too. So that may very well be where all my hearburn came from when I was carrying her!

      Now if he’s a climber, runner, and has to try everything once, she will hear that payback phrase even more from me!

  15. This has been a year of finding enchantment every where I look. And where I’ve been looking is right where I’ve been all along. Isn’t it wonderful? To be amazed by what is? :)

    • That is wonderful. And ya’ know, it is amazing how enchanting the small things are and how much satisfaction they bring. Thanks – as always – for clarifying what I was trying to say.

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