Walking the dog has its unquestionable advantages. I just can’t catch in to take he notice of the surroundings when I go anywhere without the dog – at least I live that way in the city. But you can stop by with the dog. You have much more time to think while the dog smells around or marks his territory. You start to observe the details more which you wouldn’t see without the dog – not just the nice ones but also the ugly gross ones too. You can see the beautiful flowers but also uncleaned and tread-ed dogs poops.
I guess that many times it is the same with our spiritual life. We rush and so we do not see our surroundings – we do not notice the things we should be thankful for which are in our lives as the beautiful flowers. But we do not even notice the stuff we should repent on which are as the tread-ed poops in our lives.
It is good to stop time from time and make the inventory of your life. The stay in the monastery might help to somebody, driving the car to somebody else. I get help form walking the dog. I have time to think about stuff that annoys me and than I can fight them in my prayer.
What does help you??