We’ve all heard the instructions; when you’re on fire, stop running, drop to the ground, and roll to put out the flames. Sound advice in the literal, but even more effective when the fire seems to be internal, or “shut up in my bones”, as the old prophet said.
There is always so much to be done, and at the very least, work always seems to expand to fill the time allotted. Sometimes you just have to stop running, drop everything, and roll hard out of town, but this time for new horizons.
Destination? Not important. Method of transportation? Who cares? Distance? Matters not a whit, as long as we’re stepping outside our comfort zone. Sometimes the call to GO is so urgent that even the prospect of sleeping in subfreezing conditions while sharing accommodations with one very inconsiderate dog is infinitely preferable to remaining stationary like a good little boy.
But what is much more terrifying to me is when sometimes we DON’T feel that urge. Life becomes too comfortable, excuses begin to come too easily, and it becomes too easy to say “why?”
I have to say “Why not?”; it seems to me that this is when it’s most important to rise and shake myself until my ears pop like Charlie’s, dig into my internal (mom would say infernal)file of excuses to GO!!! and do just that.
And “why not”? These were the favorite words of my friend Kevin who passed away a few months ago, and no, the short trip Charlie and I are on is not some maudlin memory cruise in his honor. It just makes me think of how little time we are allotted, and how sometimes I just have to admit that Charlie is right and I need to relent and say the most beautiful word in the world(to her ears, anyway)
Go?
And right now is one of those times, as writing has became a futile endeavour; even though its not yet daylight, she is currently engaging in a campaign to get me moving, escalating from intense staring to abrupt nosing, then thrashing about while emitting this incredibly high pitched whine directly into my inner ear in the most annoying manner possible, much like the world’s largest hairy mosquito, but without any of the mosquito’s redeeming social attributes, as at least a mosquito can’t chark.
How’s THAT for a run-on sentence, eh?
Chark diem!
