Lola's find / Balm

He had made a habit of taking the dog to the park at dusk. The dog fidgeted in anticipation as he unhooked the leash. She darted into the open field, releasing a days worth of untapped energy in the first few strides, and he smiled and wished he could do the same. Park rules prohibited unleashed dogs after 9 am but encounters with any fellow park walkers, let alone park rangers, were few and far between at this hour. They had acres to themselves. She was good about not meandering too far, keeping up. He could put his head down and set a course for the softball fields knowing full well that every hundred yards or so he’d hear the jingling of dog tags approaching from behind. Seconds later she’d speed past him and resume sniffing and exploring the ground, always keeping tabs of her master.
He was about a half mile in when he noticed a lack of jingle. He turned to scan the expanse of rolling terrain left behind but didn’t see her. He called her name. Nothing. He took two steps back the way he’d came and called her name again. He could see his breath. Still nothing. God damned dog. He backtracked, mad that she was dictating his pace, his direction, and not vice versa. A minute later he saw her at the edge of the woods, scratching at the ground. He called her name again and she looked at him for a moment before returning her attention to the land below. Stupid fucking dog. The sun was dipping below the trees now so he couldn’t make out what exactly it was that had her interest. An upturned beetle, a torn tennis ball, a dead bird perhaps. As he approached she started digging and he told her to stop in half-assed mutter that surely would have no effect. He arrived at the spot in question and saw that she had flung aside the various leaves and twigs to expose a small section of earth, dug an inch deep. “What’s there girl?” She looked at him, huffed, and resumed digging.
Something was there.
He nervously looked around the park, making sure no one was watching. The site of his breath made him realize he was breathing faster, nervous and not sure why. She kept digging. His whole body shivered. The deeper she got the faster the dirt flew. He thought of parents, his sisters, his wife, and his son all at once. He looked in the expanding hole but couldn’t see anything. It was too dark. He wondered if he had been a good son. Did his parents resent him for leaving? He let her continue to dig. He questioned his strength as a husband and father, whether he had any handle on his family’s happiness. The dog suddenly stopped. She barked and he saw a glow somewhere down deep in the earth. He now got on his hands and knees and burrowed further. The dog helped. As the light grew stronger he panicked. He realized the strings that bound his life were thin and frayed. They reached the source of the light and it broke through in a terrific blaze, illuminating the night sky. He looked at his dog standing on the other side of the hole and she looked at him. They were both covered in dirt. They both laughed. They were the same. It was time to go home. Time for dinner.

zeroth life lesson: life is beautiful.