"Sammy, Could You Please Scoot Over?!"
- Jul 25, 2017
- 5 min read
Updated: May 5
I'm not just saying this, but everyone who meets Sammy, falls in love with him. I can tell by the way people smile after seeing him. I can tell by the way people laugh after he does something funny like roll over on his back when he doesn't want to walk anymore, or roll all over any carpet that he sees. I can tell when they offer to take him off my hands and into their hands instead. If only I had that special quality, ability, je ne sais quoi, that Sammy does. Then, everyone would fall in love with me too!
Cuteness personified
Sammy, doing that roll over thing
The most recent example of this was when my dear friend, Osa, and her daughter, Amelia, came to visit me in Slovenia. Starting back in April or May, I began my conversations with Osa about her coming to see me. Since Osa spends the summers in Sweden, on an idyllic island named Oland, I was pretty sure she might take me up on my offer. And, the fact that Osa and I had traveled well together in the past (to Prague), I knew we were good traveling companions. The icing on the cake was that Osa decided to come and spend her birthday here. Yay!
On Osa's favorite street
The only catch was going to be Sammy. You see, Osa said that she might be allergic to Sammy. Now, I know that that's impossible - Sammy is hypoallergenic - that amazing poodle part in him - and, no one has ever reacted to Sammy's fur in that way before. So, I was pretty confident that Sammy and Osa would get along. But, I wasn't going to push that. That's why, every time we talked or emailed or texted about this trip, I always made sure to say something about Sammy. "Now, remember, Sammy's going to be here." "The apartment's not that big and Sammy will be around." "Don't worry about Sammy, I'll have him sleep in my room." Those kind of things.
Happily, Osa and Amelia agreed to a visit, despite my furry, little friend, Sammy.
So, about three weeks into my seven week stay, Osa and Amelia arrived from Sweden, despite a two day delay due to weather!
PAUSE FOR DISCLAIMER HERE ---- You see, the only negative I have found so far with Slovenia is the getting here part. Ljubljana isn't the easiest place to fly in to. This is a benefit and a drawback. One must get flights fairly early to avoid multiple stops and higher fees. For example, I booked my flight way back in October for a June departure. I only stopped once, in Warsaw, Poland and then a one hour and twenty minute flight to Joze Plecnik Airport, in Ljubljana.
CONTINUE ---- You see, I thought since Osa was already in Europe, perhaps this wouldn't be such a challenge - getting here. And, I guess this would have been okay if the storm hadn't prevented Osa's Lufthansa flight from Copenhagen to be delayed, thus causing her to miss her connection in Frankfurt. With only two flights a day leaving for Ljubljana, Osa was stuck in Frankfurt for two days. I hear she and Amelia made the most of their time, visiting art museums and such. Luckily, she did arrive on the day of her birthday, so we were still able to celebrate with a boat ride on the Ljubljanica River, a lovely Italian dinner at a wonderful restaurant called Marley and Me (very fitting since Sammy joined us as well), a film up at the castle, and delicious gelato, of course.
Osa, Amelia, and I on our boat ride on the Ljubljanica River
Our dinner
Our movie
Getting back to my story of Sammy and love - During Osa's five days here, I think she too was overwhelmed by his charm, sophistication and downright cuteness. She held his leash sometimes while hiking on our 5 hour trek of WW I historical sites in Kobarid. (Kobarid is known for the 1917 Battle of Caporetto, where the Italian retreat was documented by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms.) She rowed him around Lake Bled from the shore out to Bled Island in the middle of the lake. She even picked up his poop...oh wait, no she didn't do that. But, perhaps what sealed the deal was when we were up at the Ljubljana Grad, or Ljubljana Castle, waiting to see the movie La La Land as part of the series, Film Under the Stars. Sammy had jumped up onto one of the chairs, where we were planning to sit. Osa said to him, "Sammy, could you please scoot over?!" And, believe it or not, he DID! He moved into the next chair over. I don't know if that was THE moment when Osa fell in love, but she did tell me, as she and Amelia were preparing to leave Slovenia and head back to Sweden, that she was actually considering getting a dog herself....
The Julian Alps and River Soca
Hiking along the historical WWI trail
Getting Sammy on the row boat
On Bled Island
Bled Castle in the background
Osa and Amelia, with Sammy
"Sammy, could you please scoot over?!"
Way to go, Sammy. You converted another one!
Conclusion
Lesson learned: My dear friend, Osa, is one of the most generous and joyous people I know. And, she's super busy. She's a successful businesswoman. She lives on two different continents during the year. She has a daughter going off to college and she's a semi-newlywed. She is always taking care of her family: elderly mother, sisters, nieces. And, did I mention, she's super busy.
Giving ourselves the chance to slow down, to stop, and literally smell the roses, is an actual gift we CAN give ourselves. Relaxing in nature by taking a hike, or swimming in a lake, or petting a dog can be the most rejuvenating, inspiring and meditative things we can do for ourselves. And, slowing down can be extremely productive - who knows what creative ideas and inspiration will be attained when we allow ourselves the gift of Presence. I believe, for a few days away from the busyness of life, Osa was able to slow down and smell the Julian Alps.
Maybe success is not gained by how much we can do, but by how much we can live.
I'm curious: When was the last time you unplugged from life and slowed down? What happened?
Let me know, if you're willing.
If you're interested in reading about the idea of creating more space, through slowing down, I recommend, Authentic Success by Dr. Robert Holden.
Love,
Lynn
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