Musings from the Life and Times of Buddy

AM Psalm 89:1-18 • PM Psalm 89:19-52
1 Samuel 5:1-12 • Acts 5:12-26 • Luke 21:29-36

We have a new puppy. His name is Buddy. I am going to use his presence as part of my excuse that this Reflection is now four days late. (I’m not remembering the other part of my excuse right now.) With the acquisition of a puppy—or even more, a newborn human—life as we knew it is immediately transformed. Here are two seventy-somethings in the habit of doing whatever we want, when we want, suddenly responsible for the welfare of this little creature—twenty-four/seven.

During the trials and tribulations of taking Buddy for walks as he exerted his willfulness by plopping his rear down and refusing to go any further, I wondered how God feels when I exert my willfulness with her?

I believe God/Higher Power/Higher Self is always guiding me towards what is good and whole and holy in my life. And like Buddy, I often plant my rear and refuse to follow what is the best path towards realizing the Kingdom of God, i.e., the transformation of my false self/ego/persona into what God created me to be.

In Luke’s Gospel we are told: “Be on our guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life...” Being with Buddy is teaching me to be present in each precious moment. He is totally dependent on us right now, just as we are dependent on God to sustain and guide us.

Buddy reminds me of a story about an old African-American preacher who regularly told his charges: “When I works/plays, I works/plays hard; when I rest, I rest easy; when I worries, I goes to sleep.”

In closing, I return to Luke: “Be alert (present)* at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things (the human condition) that will take place, and to stand (totally accepted, affirmed, and loved) before the Son of Man.” Cowabunga!

*words in italics are mine.

Written by Nick Cole

...who hasn’t been this sleep-deprived since medical school—and he wouldn’t trade either experience!