When I walk Roxie, if I am feeling lonely (it happens), I—silently—remind myself of all my relations, and I greet them.

“Hello, tree! We are relations!”

To the gray river behind the trees, “Hello, river! We are relations!”

To the woman with the curved back, huddled against the cold, sitting at the metal table next to the silent pickleball courts, “Hello, woman! We are relations!”

Roxie spots another dog on a leash coming our way and wisely adjusts course to take us on a path that feels safer to her. I greet the dog as we move further apart, “Hello, dog! We are relations!” And to the person walking the dog, “Hello, person! We are relations!”

And to you, reading this, “Hello, you! We are relations!”

Chewing the Cud of Good

Thankful for spearmint tea.