TRAVELS WITH CALEB

Is cultivating joy really that hard?

“If you think I am having more fun
Than anyone on this planet
You are absolutely correct.”
–Hafiz

As a puppy, Caleb watched me pack and soon associated that process with my absence.

So, the next time I start to pull duffels from the shelves and organize for an extended trip, Caleb prepares his argument (why he should ride shotgun on this journey…)

Go With?

“We could have so much fun.”

“I’ll help you pay attention…”

Day One Caleb barks through the night our first time at a KOA campsite.

 “Let me make it perfectly clear…

“And reach out.”

Day Two he gets the runs and then runs away while visiting Grandma’s apartment, only to find the cutest girl in the condo complex.

“…I’d like to emphasize that…

“I’ll lead you toward the light.”

Day Three he sniffs too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon, nearly giving his mother a heart attack. 

“I’m an ideal traveling companion”

“I will heel and never tug at my leash.”

Day Four he has chewed through his leash so we must drive 120 miles to buy him a
new one. (And we make new trucker friends along the way.)

Finding New Friends

“I’m big and strong now. I can go.”

Day Five he nearly contracts hypothermia in a freak Easter snowstorm in Arizona. We retreat to the truck, swaddle him in every jacket I own, heater running full blast, while we watch the world pass by in a small, Route 66 town.

Along the way, he also befriends 20 ticks that have burrowed into his body, and I need to extract each, one at a time.

But I wouldn’t have it any other way. He brings me so much joy.

I realize it’s a lot of fun to travel with a dog, and, naturally, problems arise. It’s like life: it takes practice and work to stay in-Spirit when mayhem comes along for the ride.

Playing it Cool

Animals can teach us about cultivating joy. We’ve heard this often. So how do we practice it?

Here are a few ideas, from Caleb :

Turn the Other Whisker

Go with Abandon

Get Lost in Play

Jillian Robinson is a Certified High Performance Coach whose passion is to help people live their best selves with the consistentfeelings of full engagement, joy and confidence. She loves to interview and coach changemakers and parents committed to positively impact young peoples’ lives. Her vision is that, someday, personal development will be taught as commonly as math and science. When you participate in her programs, you become part of that positive change.