I HATE WIND. I said it. And if you really know me, you’ve probably heard me say it more than once. There’s just something about it pushing your hair into your face, throwing your papers around and then budging your car all over the road that drives me crazy. If I have one elemental enemy it is definitely that.

But regardless of wind, rain, hail, or (heaven help me) snow, I have a responsibility to take my four legged soul mate outside. So I threw on jeans, flip flops and a half hearted smile and out we trooped. There is a beautiful church next door to my house in downtown Provo, and this was our chosen spot to wander. Ollie finally does not need a leash – and I know I’m going to get some angry comments for that sentence, so I’ll rephrase that. Ollie is TRAINED enough to STAY BY MY SIDE and not chase people or cars, so I feel I can trust him in a huge, fenced field.

I’ll be honest – it’s time like these when I have a million things to do, that I sometimes wonder why I got a dog. Then again, it’s hard not to be frustrated when you’re waiting for a dog to choose his “spot”.  I’m standing with my hair all across my face, freezing and irritated,  crossing my arms, stomping my feet and making the hhuuuph noises I make when I can’t help but be impatient. And Ollie? He’s blissfully exploring, wandering, smelling. Taking life in. So I try to enjoy it a little too.

Maybe it’s not so cold.

Maybe I do have a few minutes to let him be a dog.

With that new attitude in mind, everything shifted. The wind was no longer an enemy, but a gentle hug from a long lost friend, greeting me after the long awaited winters reprieve. It was change, bringing fresh air and seedlings waiting to grow. Whispering to the earth wake up, it’s Spring. It was invigorating, awakening, beautiful. It made me feel care free, like I wanted to run. So I did, with slow little Ollie in tow, looking behind me as he pushes himself harder, and harder until he’s sprinting past me. Witnessing as, for once he actually acted more canine than feline and chased a group of robins with reckless abandon. Watching my dog, playing, leaping and bounding with his tongue half out and that crazed look in his eye, I realized life is more simple than what we make it out to be.  Life is about living.

And life doesn’t get any sweeter than the birth of four beautiful, healthy baby Pomeranians that Sam’s dog just gave birth to. Welcome to the world, little ones. I know you’ll always help remind your owners what the true meaning of this world is, just as Ollie reminded me tonight.