One day, my dog got very sick.
Nothing dramatic at first.
Just enough to worry me.
While he lay there quietly, resting,
I found myself spiraling.
My thoughts rushed ahead —
imagining what could happen,
what might go wrong,
what I might lose.
He, on the other hand, stayed exactly where he was.
Present.
Calm.
Alive to the moment.
As I watched him breathe, I noticed the contrast.
He was unwell,
yet peaceful.
I was fine,
yet anxious.
It struck me then how easily the mind leaves the present —
how quickly it invents futures that may never arrive.
Animals don’t do that.
They don’t rehearse tomorrow.
They don’t revisit yesterday.
They stay.
And in staying, they teach.
That day reminded me that concern doesn’t require panic.
That love doesn’t need fear to be real.
That presence, even in uncertainty, is enough.
He recovered.
So did I.
Not because nothing happened —
but because I came back to now.
Have I told you?
Thank you for reading this. I wrote it for you.
If you’re curious about living in harmony with the seven colours of love —
Welcoming, Trust, Forgiveness, Freedom, Respect, Generosity, and Awareness —
feel free to reach out.
📩 You can email me at: Etienne@OUTandHappy.com
Virtual hugs and true love attached,
Etienne
(Pronounced: A-T-N — like an ATM but replace the M with an N… and money with wisdom.)
