Walked by a Dog

Some of the best exercise I get is walking my dog, Alfie. We both really look forward to our late afternoon outing.

I pretty much let Alfie decide which direction we go. He has his favorite streets, but he never goes the same direction two days in a row, and he consistently finds new alleys or ditches to explore. I just stay with him, at the end of a four-foot leash.

I have read that both walking and running are good exercise. The best exercise is what is known as "intervals," alternating between running and walking. That's what we do! If my dog sees a squirrel or cat to chase, we're off like a rocket, dodging small and large obstacles. Usually the chase ends abruptly, when the squirrel or cat reaches the safety of a tree or drainage pipe. Then we walk a little, or maybe trot. Before I'm completely ready, we are usually running again.

The question I am asked by other pedestrians on our walks, more than any other, is, "Who's walking who?" That is a splendid question. I honestly answer, "He's walking me. He's already in shape, and I'm not." That's the way I like it. It's an adventure every time.

There was a time when I was in charge of my life. Sure, I asked God's help from time to time, when I ran into difficulty. I find it's a greater adventure, though, to let God be in charge. What a blast! Like it says in John 1:4, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of all people."