Un-crated

Proud puppy on the remains of the dog bed...

Time moves on; and with each new day or season we see life evolving around us.

Some changes may appear to be quick, but are often simply the culmination of a period of gradual change. Others, we recognise the way things have been leading and guided in that direction.

Rites often acknowledge change. Graduations signify the completion of academic requirements; the “I do”s in a wedding are exchanged after substantial time getting to the marriage ceremony; getting that promotion often hides the countless hours of toil and commitment.

Rites don’t have to be the large public ceremonies; sometimes they can mark smaller milestones – but milestones they are. And sometimes, the effect of those changes is inevitable, yet can still be surprising.

Several weeks ago, Shadow (puppy) stopped going into his crate when I left the house. He’d learned enough about what was for dogs and what was not; he seemed safe beyond the confines of the crate. I gradually increased the amounts of time he was without human supervision, and aside from de-stuffing some dog toys (and one dog bed), he’s been entirely fine.

Just this week, however, the real change was marked. I took away his crate. It was no longer being used, and it seems he’s also grown beyond where it would be comfortable for him. Down to storage it went; marking a particular point in his life.

Despite this being a good thing, he struggled with the change, and regularly ventured to its former location with curiosity.

How very normal! So many of us get accustomed to one way of being, and even when a change is good for us, showing growth and development, we can miss what was. We wouldn’t want to go back, and we don’t regret the change, but we can long for what was.

These times, I find, give us the chance to be grateful. We look back, reminisce, and appreciate what was; all the while being intentional to be fully present in the here and now. After all, the blessings in our life continue to flow; and at some point in the future we’ll be reminiscing about our lives now.

So let’s mark the moments that matter – the adventures, the joys, the ordinary moments that love makes extraordinary. For as time continues on, our lives change. We can choose to embrace the inevitable change as a grace.