I had a moment of pure joy on a trip back from a visit to the veterinary clinic today.

A Moment Of Pure Joy

Postponed Surgery for Monk

After two months of lock down in Italy, things are starting to get moving again. One thing has been occupying my mind. Monk still needed to be neutered!

At one year old, Monk had fallen victim to my seven week illness earlier in the year which meant his operation got delayed and then delayed again. Just as I started to feel better the COVID lock down was brought in and his operation had to be delayed again. Because it was routine it had to wait, particularly as the vet clinic is just over the border in the next region!

Cryptorchidism

Eventually Monk got taken to the vets as he had a swelling on his face that I thought was an abscess but turned out to be a wasp sting luckily. As he was at the vet clinic I asked them if they could do his castration. They said yes but on examination announced he had the same condition that Treacle and Elvis had suffered from – only one testicle, known as Cryptorchidism. You can read about the fun and games with Treacle when the vet had to play hunt the testicle here.

So What Was The Moment Of Pure Joy?

On the way back in the car, I saw two men taking a photograph of a house. It seemed so ‘normal’ it was lovely and they waved at me as I drove past. It brought a smile to my lips and I was still smiling when I turned the corner and there were two horses in a field close to the fence. They were gorgeous and I stopped and wound down my window and spoke to them. I couldn’t touch them because of my horse allergy (read all about that here) but just to see them looking at me, slowly swishing their tails in the sunshine, made me so happy.

That sort of simple thing of stopping and enjoying, being in the moment is something that we lost somewhere along the line in our busy lives. So many things not noticed in the rush to be somewhere.

But maybe the lock down and the changes we have undergone as individuals because of Covid-19 will make us more aware of what is going on around us. Instead of always wanting the next thing, the next great experience, the next purchase, the next glass of wine. Perhaps we have learned that there is joy in the simple stuff.

Before you go

My name is Dorothy Berry-Lound an artist and writer. You can find out more about my art and writing at https://dorothyberryloundart.com.

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