It's hard to say how to start a new life or when it might start. Sort of like figuring when your wheels start down a new road; they are always in contact with terra firma, well mostly, and at some point they were on one road and at another they’re on a new route. When did the change occur? Can you tell? Does it matter?

My life has been rich with many trails passing beneath my wheels, yet I don’t often know when the changes come. My professional life is all about planning but in my personal life I don’t signal my turns much in advance. Not so much as a lack of communicating my intentions but as a result of following the circuitous path of life’s butterfly as it wends it’s way cutting and dodging through the currents that appear.

Or perhaps my personal life is exclusively about planning and my turns aren’t really turns but course corrections back to the long range plan, my vision of life. Activities are transitory but philosophy is the guide to how activities are executed and what activities are engaged.

Circle of life

As life rolls forward many changes come along. Dealing with the change is always a challenge but losing my beautiful Quincy was really hard. I did, however, get some relief from writing his eulogy: We all get exactly one lap around the circle of life and no one knows how long our race will run or how big our circle will be. Today Quincy crossed the finish line and is trotting happily across the rainbow bridge, free from the burden his body had become. He adopted me in May of 1994 and raised me with patience and unbounded cheerfulness, always willing to try it again. Perhaps this time, I'm sure he was thinking, I would get it right. I don't know if I ever did but I do know that he never cared. He was a brilliant obedience dog and an enthusiastic agility partner. I didn't have a clue how close a bond could exist between a dog and a person until he showed me that my life-long love of dogs prior to meeting him had just barely scratched the surface. I will forever remember his cheerful enthusiasm and miss having him at my side for even longer than that. Dearest Quincy, The hole in my heart seems infinite just now but the pawprint you left on my soul is even bigger. I look forward to the joy of your memory replacing the pain of your passing and thank you for every single moment you gave me.

It's all about the wheels, it's all about the dance

It starts out simple enough, a plan, a vision and off you go. But it always takes a little longer and surprises come along but also an easier way. And so it begins. It's simple enough, a shortcut, a patch and off track you go.