If my dog were my blog by Tracy Williamson

As I've sat at my computer today trying to get important words down on cyber space, my new Hearing dog Bailey keeps coming up and nudging me.  

He wants attention.

He wants fun

He wants me to play with him and chase him with his toy.

I try to ignore him and concentrate on writing but that can be tricky when he keeps plonking his head on my lap and gazing at me.

I usually succumb and start to chase him or play tug of war with his toy, all the while thinking rather guiltily 'Oh I should be writing, never mind, I'll do it in a minute!' 

If my blog were my dog it would be easier.

Sometimes I think about the writing as something I need to do.  I've got to meet a deadline, I've got to create something inspiring in a few hours or minutes.  I've got to find the words and sew them together.  

There can be so many 'I've got to's' that I lose the joy of just loving words, sitting with ideas and shaping them into something concrete.  

My dog wants attention, he wants laughter and love and if my blog were my dog I would give it willingly.  I want my dog to be fed, happy, fulfilled and free to have fun.  I may need to tell him to wait at times but I would never pretend he didn't exist.

And the more I give him some fun, sit down with him and love him, feed him or run him every day, the more the peace fills my heart and I am strengthened to reach out to others and draw them into God's love too. 

If my blog were a dog I would be aware of the times it is nudging me for my attention.  I would gaze at it with great fondness not trepidation.  I would be learnig to recognise all its little signs of what makes it special.  I would feed it with nourishing meals and special treats.  How often do I feed my writing like that?  For that is just what it needs. Regular thoughts. ideas, quotes, sentences, paragraphs and chapters.  I need to feed my brain with fun and laughter or I just become far too serious,  My blog is nudging me and gazing at me.  Will I love it?  Will I give it my time of day?  Will I trust it to lead me on to the next step of what that particular writing is to be?  

If my blog were my dog I would love to explore with it just as I explore new pathways when I take my dog out for a walk in the park.  Where will he go? what will bring him joy?

I want to celebrate my writing and the opportunities it offers me to touch someone's life with God's love.  

Bailey nudges me again. toy dangling from his mouth, ready for play.

Play that I love to give.

Yes Lord, I want my blog to be as my dog.  To have fun, to delight in nurture and feeding and taking care of it.  To know how vital that work is, that something unique is being created because of the time I'm giving it.  Even clearing up after a dog is important, just as its so vital to give the time to 'clear' and edit my writing; to make it honed and beautiful.

My blog is my blog just as my dog is my dog, and yet those qualities of love, care, time, commitment, fun, feeding, embracing and believing in, are as important for each in their own way. 

Come Bailey for some love!

Come Blog (and all writing) I love you and want to give you my very best in time, love, nurture and fun.