Overhearing

Humans and dogs, the oldest relationship in the world.

Children are brilliant given half the chance.  They get quite a bad press sometimes and I think it's hard for them.  Phones have made their childhood so very different from ours - we were doing things whilst they seem to spend a lot of time just watching on a screen, which is so unnatural.

They can be damn cool.

And life changing.

Quite a while ago, I was walking out of my gate with Moss on the lead, when I overheard a child saying to his parent,

“There goes the lady with the dog!”

This might sound trivial, but it was life changing for me.

It gave me an identity. Floundering about careers and identity has been part of my life.  In that split second of overhearing, I grabbed it. And thought to myself, yes, I am the lady with the dog, and what am I going to do about it?

That's how just walking the dog was conceived.

I wasn't quite sure how to go about it.  I wanted it to be digital (!) so that people all round the world could read it. I wanted it to be particularly for those of us who have issues with reading; so short, visual and clear.

I’m dyslexic.

I’ve struggled all my life with reading difficulties.  That doesn't mean I’m not creative, and I’ve written most of my life to try and make sense of the world.

Thank you to that kid who noticed me … you’re brilliant, and you changed my life.

~   ~  ~

In splendid news:  justwalkingthedog has been made into a radio programme!  It’s going to be aired on Colne Radio 106.6fm, written and read by me and produced by Martin Newell writer and musician.  With a bit of luck, next week I’ll be able to share it with you in gratitude for your loyalty and support.

AJK