Day 473

New adventures and experiences come with a mixed bag of emotions. Today was Lilly's first day at an assisted living complex in our neighboring city. When the Subaru hatch lifted, my girl took some time to acclimate. Looking at the building, she hesitated for a moment to take it all in. With a slight bit of encouragement, Miss Lilly decided to get down and see what this new place had to offer .

We visited Memory Care, along with Assisted Living, and met some wonderful new friends. Lilly knows what to do, so off she sashayed down the hallways. She brought so many smiles to the day!

Watching her assess this new venue was illuminating. Unlike her Mama, this girl paused to make a plan of sorts. By spending that minute in the back of the car, she sniffed, listened and smelled her new surroundings. I always learn from my dogs. I could have let my impatience get in the way of allowing Lilly to embrace this new experience.

Tending to be rather shy and slightly introverted, I typically jump right in to a new experience. What if I waited a heartbeat or two before jumping into a new adventure? If I paused for a moment to embrace the situation I just might be more prepared and calm.

Challenging myself to wade in from the shallow end of the pool instead of jumping right into the deep end will be a new goal.

I wonder what my Goldens will teach me tomorrow? I guess I will just have to WAIT to see!