Early this morning, Red and I went for a walk in the forest. Maria and Lenore had other things to do. I hadn’t walked alone with Red for some time, Maria and I usually walk together, Lenore usually comes along. Red and I were both different on this walk, it was a silent walk, there was  no talking of course.

And Red walks differently than Lenore, he walks quietly a few feet ahead of me, if he gets too far ahead, he turns and waits for me, he does not dart off into the woods or follow his nose, he just stays with me. Maria and I love to walk together, and we are always talking to each other, it was startling – quite spiritual – to hear and feel this silence, so I veered off into the woods with Red and we just soaked up the quiet and peacefulness of the winter woods.

I can forget about Red, he will not go anywhere or do anything that requires my attention, we are soulmates now, spirits that are connected, our communications is mostly beyond words, a connection of consciousness.

I missed Maria, I missed Lenore too, but it was a beautiful experience out there with Red, one of those pure moments with a dog that touch and burnish the soul. The winter woods are a special place with a unique kind of stillness, you can hear yourself and see yourself anew.