Sushi and His Ball
I have a dog and his name is Sushi.
Though, on occasion, I enjoy the company of a dog, I am not what you would call a "dog person." Sushi has not done anything to sway me from this position.
He barks a lot and he barks at everything. He fights with the neighbor dogs through the fence. He has terrible leash rage. He is allergic to most things in the natural world. He is a crafty thief of food, which is particularly unfortunate for him because he is also allergic to most things edible.
And, to be perfectly fair, I have not been the most diligent owner when it came to training out his bad behaviors.
But this isn't a story about those bad things. This is a story about when all those bad things fade away.
This is a story about Sushi and his ball.
The dog that can't stop himself from yapping at the fence or growling at any slightly suspicious sound becomes the epitome of focus when that ball is in my hand.
He who's body seems to struggle with the basic functions required to exist is suddenly nimble and agile. He anticipates. He grabs them out of the air.
And the only time he doesn't diligently return the ball is when he is finally too exhausted to do so.
For those brief moments, it is like the rest of his world, his challenges and distractions, just fade from view. And there is only devotion to a singular activity. It is just him, me, and the ball.
While there are moments that have come close, I struggle to think of anything that brings me to that level of focus and concentration.
Is there anything in your life that you can attend to with such sustained attention? Please write. I would love to hear your story.