Trademarked.

I revisit my own words, and one day I asked myself: I think about God a lot.  

I think I am presently aware of just how much a lot is because I remember when I just knew God is God.  I felt a curiosity  about God, I remember, but curiosity was just curiosity. It wasn’t inquisitive yet.  There was just a presence of God in our family made real by the love for God that was easy to see.  The picture of Jesus in both my grandparents home hung on the wall is probably the easiest way to see love.  Like a family member’s portrait hung on the wall.  I never asked why it was hung, but I do know it didn’t feel hung to be a reminder, “Do good.”  But it felt hung out of love in remembrance.  

When I started walking dogs, I knew I was going to have to do something to protect myself from the sun but I didn’t yet know what that looked like.  

I was walking Gizmo one day, and I got a clue.  Another dog walker was approaching me from the opposite end of the street, and he looked mysterious.  But I knew he was protecting himself from the sun because I was in a state of curiosity: How am I going to protect myself from the sun? His first impression made complete sense to me.  I don’t ever remember him telling me hello.  Oh yes, because Gizmo was bothered by the presence of other dogs, so I was always steering clear of him.  

I knew I was going to do what I had to do, and he looked like a good idea.  So I did with apprehension because it looked different.  Sun protection garners a lot of attention!  People could see me but people could not see me looking at them.  That helped.  Like imagining speaking to a naked audience, and then it’s not so bad.  Some people’s stares were as strange as I know I looked, and they were at length. #awkward

Most people would link it to allergies, and I would just agree because it was the least time consuming thing to do.  I was impressed when I made sense to people, and I think they felt smart when I said, “You’re right!” 

One client nicknamed my look, “Terrorist.” One day I thought, I am going to have to help people out and at least give a clue, and it came to me. 

I sought out the skill of a family friend we came to know through Kate.  

1/7/22 I gave Daniel an idea, and he created an image.  

I told him to blow it up on the back of my shirt. #winwin I would still be entertained by people, and they’d have a clue who I am as I walked away.  #thedogwalker

He also printed the image on my umbrella #upfprotection and on my hat. 

The image of the Schnauzer reminds me of my best friend of 15 years, PW.  His little life consumed me, and when he left, his absence sent me on one of the most important journeys in my life.  The cartoon image was with me everyday as I walked with the likes of him in remembrance of the gift he was. 

I asked Matt to help me trademark what I called my service: Walk.Wag.Repeat 

I hid a message in it.  

Dog spelled backwards is God.  God is unconditional love just as dogs are present in that capacity.  

Walk (with goD). Wag (with goD). Repeat (with goD).

I walk with God, I find and celebrate the good in experiences with God, and I take the next step with God. 

Matt did.  

I do not get frequent compliments on my creation, but when I do, there’s a common thread about the people who do.  They are different. 

I met the cream of the dog crop through my experience.  It was one of a lifetime.