I apologize for my lack of posting. The life change from home office to real office has taken some adjusting. Here’s a little something I started on a couple weeks ago.
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I put up a birdfeeder last year. Right in front of my living room window. I can see it from most seated areas of the room. Mostly for finches.

A couple Mondays ago, a holiday here in the USA, I added birdseed to it. The following Tuesday, I asked my wife, Mary Elizabeth, “did you see any birds in the birdfeeder today?”

She looked at me with disbelief and ripped into me commented about how I must think she just sits around all day staring at the birdfeeder and, no, she hasn’t had any time to be lounging around staring at birds.

Back from an early morning run, a bird flying away from the feeder caught my attention.

I thought back to our conversation. It bummed me out that my spouse has no time for birds or staring at birdfeeders.

Maybe life is a little like the birdfeeder. We fill them and fill them, but we never enjoy the reason we fill them. We’re simply too busy.

Seen any birds at your birdfeeder lately?

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I read somewhere that the 8th deadly sin was busyness. Or maybe it was hurry. Either way, hurry and busyness are two terrible challenges for me. (And the reason I haven’t posted in a while.)

Over the last months Mary Elizabeth and I started to notice some changes in our dog, Bailey (13). She was drinking a ton of water and acting a little strange. She just didn’t seem herself and seemed to have lost her spark.

Well, after I finally got her checked out by the vet (and paid for a couple sets of serious blood work) they ruled out all the typical culprits (kidney failure, diabetes, Cushing’s disease). Before the results of the tests, we thought that Bailey might be “getting ready to go.” We started paying a little more attention to her. Petting her a little more often. Caring for her a bit more. Showing her some attention. Giving her some time.

Funny. She doesn’t seem to be acting as strange anymore. Sure, her joints are bothering her and she can’t go for a three-mile run like she used to. . .but. . .

Could it be that our dog was simply suffering from a lack of attention?

Mary Elizabeth and I think so.

It’s a powerful thing – attention. It takes time and effort.

Man, and if our dog suffers for a lack of it, imagine our kids.

Just something to think about.

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