11/22/24

I follow my dog up the giant mount of sandy earth that towers at the edge of the park south of our house. Rain has scored canyons in the broad path to the top. These are deeper than an Australian Shepherd is tall.

Off leash, Esti is as exuberant as a puppy. She has been doing her land-dolphin leaps through the dry grasses. Now she charges into one of the grooves only to bound out again.

She reaches the top before I do. I don’t know what lies beyond the crest of the hill. I tell her to wait and she does. This never ceases to feel remarkable. We are surrounded by acres of open land and neighborhoods. She could go anywhere. And yet, she stays with me.