Connections

I always marvel at the little things that seem to connect us to other people, events, places, etc.

I’m lying here tonight at my oldest son’s house just getting to bed. And yes, I’m still dog sitting the youngest son’s dog. Instead of staying curled up warm on the couch, Aria decided it would be best to come climb on my bed and sleep with me.

With her here, my mind instantly wanders to my son. I feel like she is keeping her connection to him through me and vice versa. I’ve marveled at this dog this week traveling from her home to mine, then back to hers for a night, and then here to another new place. There is also another dog here, and my oldest son’s dog is very hyper. She still has a lot of puppy in her, and can be territorial at times.

Tonight I was giving Aria a little special treat and walked away and foolishly left both dogs in the kitchen. Hyper (Thea) decided she wanted the treat and started attacking Aria. As I ran back into the kitchen I found Aria not backing down, but also not “fighting back” either.

She easily could have put the other dog down in a massive way. She’s half pit and half boxer and outweighs Thea by a good 35-40 pounds.

Everyone is scared of this breed, but it shows that with proper training and habit forming activities they can be peaceful loving dogs. This is a side note or what I like to say is running down a rabbit trail, so I’ll try to find my path back to my topic.

I keep little reminders of my boys all over my house. A picture here and there, a nick knack or two. I don’t have a lot of stuff, because the ex-wife kept it all; and that is ok. These items are another form of connection for me. I can specifically recall when I took a picture, or when I received whatever they gave me. Sometimes it makes me both smile and cry.

In this short duration we call life, everything seems to be picking up speed. It seemed yesterday they were both five and seven and I was taking their Easter pictures dressed in their little man suits. They were so cute and innocent. Now, one is gearing up to be a dad with his lovely wife and the other is married with a great gal and life.

There are days I hate technology and feel it is making our youth more ignorant and even stupider, but it is what also keeps us closer to our loved ones when hundreds of miles apart.

I used my phone the other day to let my parents see and talk to my brother and his wife in Thailand via an app. They’ve spoken on the phone, but seeing the face brings that connection closer.

It’s the same with my boys. I spent nearly 340 days on the road this year and without a technological connection, it would have felt like a lifetime.

That whole empty nest thing can be both a blessing and curse. It’s great I don’t have daily responsibility for them, but I also miss waking them up for breakfast.

In this lonely world of living alone, these small pictures and trinkets close the gap for me and helps keep them close to my heart and in my mind.

We, as parents/guardians/whatever you might call yourself, tend to horde what we think is important, when in fact, it only takes one or two precious things to keep the connection. I still have three letters my mamaw wrote to me when I was in the military. I pull them out every now and then and can see her writing them as I read. I have a candy dish from my other grandmother’s house. Again, she too is there with me.

To continue living, one cannot dwell in the past. But, pieces of the past can keep us connected without stopping our future growth and life.

As you look around, can you see and feel what I’m saying? Do you smile at the thought it provokes? I hope it does for you what it does for me.