Day 1054

Every morning, the Goldens get a shank bone filled with peanut butter (Lilly gets Marshmallow Fluff). It is part of their routine and they count on it! We hear about it if we forget!

Routines are funny like that… we grow to depend on them for a calming consistency in life. We count on certain things and rituals to keep us grounded. We rely on a cup of coffee in the morning, a walk after breakfast, a good book at bedtime and so many more “givens” that ground our day.

What happens when disruptions occur to scramble our routine? Even when something occurs that is fun or meaningful, we tend to still hold on to that routine. “I will be right with you after my cup of coffee” or “That event would keep me up way past my bedtime” might be common responses.

As much as I balk at change (especially with my Halo of Goldens to consider), there have been lovely moments that I would have missed if I had clung to that routine! For example…

*There was the night we drove out into the country to see the Northern Lights.

*Embracing a surprise trip with my beloved Life’s Too Short group to see a show in Las Vegas.

*Closing a great book to answer an invitation to sit by a bonfire WAY past my bedtime!

So many beautiful memories would have been lost if I had chosen to stick to my routines. Although I relish my predictable life, I embrace those moments and experiences that took me away from the daily expectations. Just don’t ask the Goldens to give up their bones in the morning!