“Commitment is a bitch. Just when I think my life is on track, something annoying like a viral pandemic comes along. Now I’m just sitting here feeling sorry for myself.” Jacob stood up, stabbed the off button on his TV remote and walked over to the fridge. “And there’s nothing in here to eat either.” As soon as he started to his kitchen, Butch, his Akita/Husky cross, perked up his ears, a faint whine escaping. “There’s nothing in here for you either.” Jacob, a normally grumpy man, was particularly sour tonight. He had promised bis wife that he would follow all the health guidelines, eat properly and stay healthy. He didn’t often make such commitments, but she was still in hospital. “She’s getting better, Butch. She’ll be home soon and come out walking with us. Let’s you and I go now before it gets too dark.” Butch was up at the door before Jacob had even finished talking. All he needed to hear was ‘walking’. He really did miss the woman. Jacob called her Aggie. Jacob picked up his mask from the bin by the door. “I told her I’d wear this damn mask too.” He chuckled. Every time the two old boys went for their walks, when they stepped out the door, Butch stopped, turned to look back in the house. With a little whine he would look up at Jacob and tip his head over. “It’s alright Butch. I told Aggie we’d still take the same walks.” When Jacob started talking with Butch, especially about Aggie, any grumpy sourness vanished. The two old friends stepped off the porch and set off down the grassy path towards the sunset.
“Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability
to choose - and commit myself to - what is best for me.”
Paulo Coelho, The Zahir
**Author's note: I was unable to upload a photo tonight. After several tries, including shutting everything down, I decided to post 'picture-less'.
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