My world is pretty small these days. I go on a long walk in the morning with the dogs and Roby, I drink coffee, I have a bagel, I work, I read, I sleep, I pray, I watch a movie, I drink coffee, I work, I play a bit of a video game, I read, I sleep, I pray, I go on a long walk, I work.

Good as my life is these days, and it is very, very good. It isn’t without anxiety, stress, pressure, and issues. There are realy moments of pique. In a small world the collatoral damage of that pique can only fall on a few souls. 

Since it would be unacceptable for me to be upset with Roby because she is the light of my life and is perfect, and I say that without even a slight hint of irony, she obviously sees none of this annoyance. 

Abby too is too good a mom for me to allow myself to let my bad habits get in the way of her,

So, when I’m frustrated it’s the dogs that bare the brunt of my anger. I order them around, I yell at them, I’m short with them, and they deserve none of it. 

Mouser, my first dog, taught me a great deal about many things. Primarily how to be a responsible adult capable of caring not just for another soul, but myself. He was a good dog an I was as good to him as I knew how to be. 

I’m not as good to Scout and Archie as I know how to be, and I think that’s what they’re teaching me nowadays, in a totally new way. I didn’t know I had it in me when Mouser was teaching me, now I do.

Having a dog’s a real good thing for a boy, and a man as well, as long as you listen to them an you love them.