Day 294

3/6/23

We are a house of gates. There is a gate near every doorway, protecting yarn storage, Asher's play area and anything else that might just be tempting to the Golden Palate.

The doorway gates are used to separate the pups during feedings and simply when they need to have some quiet time by themselves. The "recess" from activity is appreciated by Ranger and Lilly, but the two puppies HATE this arrangement! Now, we only separate Gus and Sam after they have eaten so they can digest their food without incident!

Not only are there gates inside the house, but there are four gates outside to control our pack. You would never know how much we love these Goldens!

Asher and I took Lilly and Ranger for a walk the other day. It was between snowstorms and "glare ice" on the sidewalks, which had been briefly banished by the warm sun. It was a moment in time and we grabbed the chance!

As I watched my cherished grandson, I realized his "gated days" are pretty much in the rear view mirror. He still holds my hand as we cross streets, but I trust him to run ahead, lag behind or crawl to the summit of the nearest "Plow Mountain"! He is finding his independence, yet still checks in with a "Hey, Nanny! Watch this!" from time to time. He is so adored!

Protecting those we love comes in many different packages. It could be fences, gates and leashes for pups or hand-holding, verbal warnings and watchful eyes out in the vast world for our little ones. It doesn't stop there.

As we journey through life, the gates are traded for keeping an eye on loved ones' health, safety and happiness from a more distant perch. Then, suddenly, our loved ones turn the tables and become loving benefactors for us as we age. Such an interesting cycle of life.

As for Mac and myself, we gingerly step over gates, check to see that the other one is healthy and tend to the happiness of each other.

The hand-holding still remains the constant throughout our lives. What a beautiful connection of love.