What would you do if you had more time? Maybe an extra hour in the day or maybe more free time away from responsibilities. What would you do?
Now that the semester is over, I do have more “free” time for the next three and a half weeks. Though, it never feels like I get a lot accomplished. The one thing I’ve told myself that I’m going to do with the “extra free time” is to go on more walks with Caesar and get to the gym more. This time of year is the best for Caesar. He has more energy and endurance when it’s cold out.
With my extra time for the next few weeks, I want to spend more time at home with my dogs (or out adventuring). This week I’ve already accomplished taking an extra nap with Jeter after a workout and sharing breakfast with Caesar before heading out to work – two things I never get to do during the week. That may not sound like major things, but they were two special and simple moments that make my dogs happy and make me happy as well.
If you have dogs, you’ve probably noticed how easy they are to please. Unlike people, dogs do not expect much out of you. They are happy with taking a nap with you or watching you eat breakfast, hoping for something to drop. Dogs are just happy that you are there – that you exist. Wouldn’t it be nice if people were that easy to make happy? This is exactly why I prefer my dogs over people any day and why whatever I do with my free time, always involves more dog time.
Right now we have experienced some pretty cold days, but I have been tempted to take a day-long trip somewhere to hike with Caesar. My walks, hikes, and trips with Caesar are among my favorite memories. Lately, we’ve been taking two-hour walks, and when we are done, Caesar still has so much energy. It’s good to take advantage of the days that I and he feel unstoppable. As we grow older, we find that there aren’t too many of those days left.
During the breaks between school, I always make a list of the things I want to accomplish. I’ve never been very good at living in the moment. I need things planned out. I’ve also never been very good at relaxing and “doing nothing.”
So, with my free time over the next three and a half weeks I have a few things to get done on my list:
- Walk Caesar more!
- Take more naps with Jeter.
- Finish reading The Testaments and start reading Walden.
- Write more blogs.
- Be happy.
Not too shabby of a list. What would your list look like if you had more time to do the things you want?