Porlock Weir by Ravages https://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages/39846265571
I’ve known Charlie for 8 years. A beloved member of our clan, he’s gentle, kind, curious and aware: A most wonderful companion. He shares his time between homes in Manhattan, upstate New York, and Lancaster, PA, with my sister and her husband.
Ever since he was young, Charlie has collected 40-50 rocks that are assembled on the left and right of the front porch upstate. He brings them to his guardians as a gift, the way a retriever presents a captured bird. He has collected rocks on our walks upstate, and when he stayed with me in Brooklyn. On one visit he spied a slate rock in my community garden. Charlie wasn’t upset when I took it from his mouth as I wiped the snow from his body. I placed the rock on the windowsill with his permission. After all, he presented it to me. Mission accomplished!
At the upstate residence on Memorial Day, my granddaughter and I walked with him. Charlie approached a rock that I thought was impossible for him to carry: it was wide, thick and heavy, much too heavy for this 50-pound canine. Charlie made several unsuccessful attempts to pick up the rock with his mouth. He was not deterred. At one point he grated his teeth on this small boulder. I, wanting to help, picked up the rock but Charlie gently took it back. This was his project!
Finally Charlie’s mouth opened wide enough and he lifted it. He turned back towards his home with his tail up, happy at his success. He slanted his head to the right to gird himself to carry this gem that approached 20 pounds, and he dropped his prize on the road just before the family home. He did, after all, allow me to help because I delivered the rock to his front porch and bragged to my family about his exploit.
Charlie’s determination transformed the seemingly impossible into reality. This simple act is an inspiration. Have you heard the Frank Sinatra song where the ant moves the rubber tree plant with high hopes? (“Anyone knows an ant can’t move a rubber tree plant…but he had high hopes…there goes another rubber tree plant…there goes another problem…ker plop.” Sinatra, “High Hopes.” circa 1950s)
Intention, hard work and high hopes go a long way in setting and reaching goals, not just for Charlie. If you are willing to do the work, keep your hopes high. You may fail at first, but you can go at it from a different angle, as Charlie did. The road to success is filled with failure…yet we learn so much from letdown. The moral of this story is to keep going with an eye on the goal…
Charlie is a rock gatherer with the highest of hopes. From him we can learn to be deliberate and creative. From our dreams we choose our goals…Let’s dream with a wide lens.
Speak to you on July 10th.
Peace and light,
Linda
PS: Do check out this earlier piece I wrote about Charlie: https://lindamarsanico.com/single-post/2013/02/11/CHARLIE
#dreams #FrankSinatra #rockgathering #Manhattan #HighHopes #roadtosuccess #creativity
