Where are the friendly faces?
When I walk on the dam I look for the friendly faces.
My wife is a friend maker, turning indifferent faces into friendly faces. She has trouble walking by someone without a greeting or even a smile. I have less trouble than she does. I like to watch her take her smile and cause reactionary smiles in others. If you have a dog and we happen to see you and your dog, Debbie makes a friend out of that dog and the owner is almost always more friendly after that.
Most people think their purpose for a walk is to exercise, or to get some fresh air, or to get away from some problem, or to have a bit of space. Debbie goes looking for people to befriend. I should correct that, she goes out to be a friend, to the grass, the sun, the lake, the ducks, the Eagles, the Meadowlarks, the dogs, the people. We practice memorizing the dogs names and eventually the people too.
It’s a fascinating way to live, friend walking and friend making. Where I grew up in New York and New Jersey, it was not acceptable or even appreciated to be this friendly. There were very friendly people in those states and cities, you just did not get to stop them and start a 20 or 30 minute conversation with them and find out their life story. Most were in a hurry to be somewhere.
It’s taking me some time to let the hurry go and find a new speed. Although Debbie walks faster than me, she’s not in much of a hurry. I walk slower than her and I usually have the hurry up feeling. A bit strange. I’m learning to walk faster and slow down at the same time. Kind of fun.
Anyhow, we celebrate our dam friends, Holmes Lake dam that is, and look forward to seeing them and increasing the capacity for embracing more of them, dogs and humans alike.