A man, a dog, and a lesson for our times

Man, I love dogs.

They’re so in the moment. So expressive. So connected to “their humans.”

So much like us, in some respects. At least the good parts of us.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. Here’s why.

There’s a man who takes his golden retriever to a park nearby. Now seeing a man and his dog at a park is not unusual. Here’s what’s unique about the situation: The dog refuses to walk. When the man tries to get his pet to put one foot in front of the other, the dog puts on the brakes and sits still. 

As you can see from the picture, the dog’s face is white so he must be up in years. Maybe he’s in pain. Maybe he’s afraid of what’s ahead. Maybe he just developed a new habit to pause when he spots a certain landmark.

Doesn’t matter. The dog isn’t the focal point of the story. The man is.

From what I’ve learned, he doesn’t jerk or pull the dog along. He simply waits with his pet patiently. He speaks to the dog gently. He’ll even kneel to get at his level.

In other words, he’s meeting his friend right where he is. And eventually, they’ll begin to walk together as planned.

We need to be more like that man. Now, more than ever.

Please take a look at the photo one more time. Now let’s examine this story through a new lens.

The Dog — With everything that’s happening in the world right now, maybe some people we know are in pain. Maybe they’re afraid of what’s ahead. Maybe they’ve developed new habits since the shutdown last March.

The Man — Kind. Encouraging. Patient. I’m hoping you and I can aspire to that role. Maybe even today.

There’s one more component of the story: The leash.

It’s kind of hard to see in the photo, but the man never took the leash off his dog. I believe it was his way of letting his friend know he’s still there with him. Still connected. No matter what he might be feeling or experiencing.

When I heard about the man and his pet, I immediately thought of a line my pastor once shared.

Attentive love meets people right where they are.

Whether or not they’re afraid of getting sick.

No matter which candidate they supported.

Whether they’ve decided to live life to the fullest. Or just sit tight for now.

Attentive love meets people right where they are.

That’s my prayer for my family, my community and my nation.

I realize getting there won’t be a walk in the park. 

So maybe we can just sit and talk first. 

Just like the man and his dog.

I doubt we’ll come up with any solutions, but at least we’ll get to know each other better.

Because the closer we get to someone, the harder it is to remain divided.

Even in 2020.

(Tim Kolodziej is the creator of EnspireU.com and author of this piece. If you would like to receive encouraging/inspiring messages, videos, and motivational stories each morning, text him at (412) 226-4977.)