Looking back
Zoe is an independent dog. She prefers to walk at her own pace, explore with freedom and only cares to be petted by people in her crew.
This independence combined with her partial Basenji breed being listed as the second hardest to train makes for some interesting situations where she feels she can dictate. That being said, she is always very good and making sure I am close by. And if she feels she has gotten a bit too far she looks back to make sure I am there. As a young pup she would run really far ahead, with each year and passing months she stays closer and closer. But she always looks back.
Zoe’s looking back started me thinking about how often in our lives we look back. Are we looking back to see if our history is still there? Are we looking back only to not look forward? I consider myself to be someone who is always learning and growing, but I know I get stuck in ruts of focusing on the past and struggling to be in the present. I have heard many people say that you can only move forward by truly understanding the past, however maybe moving forward means starting by being aware that your past is just that, your past. Maybe looking back every once in a while is a good way to remind ourselves that we are making progress, that we are learning and growing. And maybe looking back means seeing that there are those there to support us, just as Zoe looks back to make sure I am there to support her.
