Langley Heads Home Part Three: Stillness

Stillness of person and steadiness of features are signal marks of good breeding. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Okay, so we never claimed good breeding for Langley. He's a desert dog with questionable lineage and a brain that might have some problems with how it's wired. But in spite of his lack of stillness and lineage, he was a dog who experienced life with joyous, childlike quality that can only be described as "living epically." His "epicness" was often at odds with the other dogs' distinct dislike of Langley's perspective on things, making our home a maze of expens and crates and timers marking who gets to be where and when they get to be there. But his joie de vivre is missed greatly by us humans. 

One would think that it would be quieter here, since Langley was one to vocalize his displeasure if someone was playing with a toy and he was in a crate, or if his dinner was being made in the kitchen out of his line of sight. But I think Frodo and Salinas have a pact to fill the sound void he left. Have no fear, my sound cancelling headphones are still getting lots of use. 

It's the movement that is missing. Sometimes frenetic, sometime spectacular (can you say 5 foot leaps from standing) and sometimes a lazy awkward playful lope, but always, always moving. Of course when he was here it drove me crazy at times. Stillness was the behavior that I most loved to see, mark and reward. And I'll admit, I do love the peace that comes with stillness, but I miss the goofy, spazzy movement that has been a constant in our life for the past 14 months. 

What I do know is that I couldn't be happier about the love and attention that will now be showered on this deserving goofball of a dog. He deserved to be someone's focus and that is what the universe gave him.