"I shall pass through this life but once. Any good therefore that I can do, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it. For I shall never pass this way again."
---Etienne de Grellet
Today I dogsat (is that a word?) again for my up the street neighbor. I was going to go on a walk with some friends, but needed to get to the dog before 9, and was a bit nervous about taking the dog on the Canal where there are so many other dogs on weekend mornings. So I took Ellie on a walk on my own, then was joined by my sister and had the bonus of not only getting good exercise, but also having a chance to visit with her while getting a vigorous workout for the dog too -- basically killing three birds with one stone, or four if you count helping out a neighbor.
One lesson that I have certainly learned is that helping a friend or neighbor is so simple in principle, but often harder in practice. We are all so busy, with our children, our work, our errands, our homes, our extended families, our bills, and so much more. I have found that it therefore takes a concerted effort to help others, and in my experience nearly always pays off in different ways. So today, while it might have been nice to socialize with friends, I reaped several other benefits by being with the dog instead. And now that her owners are back home, I'm already looking forward to my next dog-sitting opportunity!
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