Distractions

March 30, 2007. We did our usual one hour run on the park today and boy was there ever a lot of distractions for me today. Tom said I did really well though, despite breaking my concentration twice. Once I got distracted by an ornery sheltie who wanted to growl and bark at me. Another time I went to visit a person walking. First time I have done that in ages. I did come back when called both times though.

We had the usual chicken wing dancers with their leader. There was a group of pre-school kids on the play center and another group on the swings. A man rode a bicycle across the park. There were crows and seagulls, a collection of various dogs. A helicopter flew over quite low and a couple of jet planes up high. A jogger ran across my path and a big semi-trailer drove past. There were lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers. It was amazing that I was able to stay focused at all.

With all the distractions that I faced and overcame today, Tom said it reminded him of a song and so he sat down and re-wrote the words to the song, My Favourite Things. It is listed below.

My Distracting Things
(Sung to the tune of My Favourite Things)

Puppies off leashes and, men riding bikes,
People out jogging and wee little tykes,
Dancers out waving and kidlets on swings,
These are just some of my distracting things.

Helicopters out flying and airplanes up high,
Cars and big trucks that are all driving by,
Crows and big seagulls all flapping their wings,
These are just some of my distracting things.

The sights and the smells of a day on the park,
The rattle of fences and a loud distant bark,
The wind which is waving some discarded strings,
These are just some of my distracting things.

When the ball flies,
When the bird sings,
When I’m feeling bad,
I simply ignore the distracting things,
And then we are all so glad.