Soul Magic
STRAINING AT THE
By David McLaughlan
Some dogs have a strong streak of wanting to please. Our
border collie, Ben, has a strong streak of wanting to please himself.
When we go for walks I’m sure he thinks he’s taking me out.
When we’re in built up areas I keep him on one of those extendable leashes. But
I’ve noticed no matter whether I let out three feet of nylon strap or fifteen
Ben has his shoulders set to try and pull just another bit farther away. If I
could let out fifty feet of leash Ben would be there, fifty feet away,
straining and pulling at the edge of where he was allowed to go. Sometimes he
runs so hard at that outer limit he ends up flipping himself over as the leash
snaps taught.
Out there on the edge is where a lot of us humans like to
live as well. Sometimes great discoveries are made there. But for most of us
the edge is where we fall, or, as in Ben’s case, flip ourselves over.
How I wish he could see that big space between my hand and
the edge, where we could both walk, safe and contented.
Occasionally Ben tires of fighting his restraint. He’ll dart
back and catch a loop of leash in his mouth. Then he’ll walk on, happily
convinced that he’s walking himself, that he is the one who decides what he
does and where he goes. And, of course, he isn’t.
How many of us think that we can make our own constraints,
our own moral guidelines, and walk on thinking we can ignore the limitations
set from above? And, of course, we can’t.
Away from the traffic, I let Ben run free a while, which he
does with abandonment and obvious delight. Then two bigger, uglier dogs block
our path and snarl. Whoever is walking them calls them away quickly. But where
is Ben? He’s at my side, looking pleadingly for the security of the leash he’s
fought against since our walk began.
When danger surprised him Ben stopped thinking he was in
charge and turned to me, just like we instinctively turn towards God.
We shouldn’t be surprised to find Him right there when we need Him, but He’s also right there (wishing we would give ourselves a break) when we are straining against His way of things.
Even when we think we’re the ones taking ourselves for a walk!
-- © by David McLaughlan
“Finding the extra in the ordinary.”
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