Every morning at 5;00 a.m., a cold nose touches my hand. I pat the bed and 50 pounds of border collie love leaps aboard. We share about ten minutes of snuggles and sleepy conversation, and then he leaps off. It’s morning walk time.

I like this routine, especially in the summer. The mornings are cooler and quiet and generally car free. He has learned to walk on a relaxed leash now, very attentive to road crossings and the etiquette of using the boulevards to do his business. On the way, there is one favourite stop. A neighbour on our long loop has planted the most exquisite garden on both sides of the sidewalk.

He never pees there, but we both stop and circle the garden and sniff the flowers. I keep meaning to drive back during the day and thank them. They have cleverly planted the plots to bloom beautifully from spring to fall. A gift of peace to their neighbourhood reminding us all to stop and smell the flowers.

A little later on this walk, we usually bump into Bonnie. We met her one morning, a tiny grey clothed figure walking in the early morning light. Chase immediately went up to her with a wagging tale and she immediately fell in love with him. We chatted for a long time like old friends, Chase just sat down at her feet. Bonnie is eighty and I will turn eighty next year, so we had a lot of stories to share.

I look for her now every morning, another sign of positive energy and peace on the long walk through life. It is a balm from all the political chaos and personal tribulations that this life can throw at us. I may go back into battle tomorrow, but tonight I can dream of peace. The way I see it.