my family escapes once a year for a long weekend camping extravaganza at shangri-la.shangri-la is in the middle of nowhere and is located a half a mile from the “parking area” (read field) – then down the hill, over the creek, through the woods, to the camp site we hike…

with no electricity, plumbing or other creature comforts, we spend our time catching up, fighting about politics, and being the most functional dysfunctional family around!

two years ago, i went on a hike with my dad and stepmom’s dog axelle.  you hear stories of dogs that think they are bigger than they are when they interact with other dogs.  yes, cute.  but this dog takes it to another level.

she brought me a stick, that was more like a railroad tie, and wanted me to throw it for fetch.  of course i obliged (and almost threw out my shoulder) but was most impressed with how she handled the railroad tie.  yes, it was large and cumbersome, but its size and waterlogged weight (about 20+ pounds) did not seem to slow her down….in the creek or on the long walk back to the camp site.

i think we all have times in our life when something comes up for us, or someone we love, or even a challenge at work, and it just feels insurmountable.  well, this sweet tenacious dog demonstrated to me how to just keep moving and forget the odds because they just do not matter.