How to Engage Fully With Life (Even When It’s Messy)

Author

Vickie Poole
September 03, 2025

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The other night something happened that shook me up more than I expected.

It was late, and I was taking my little dog out for his nighttime potty walk. I’ve done this a hundred times. It’s always quiet, always safe.

This time, it wasn’t.

There were kids in the street with scooters and bikes, and I paused to make sure a speeding car would see them. After it passed, I noticed someone pushing a stroller and walking a dog. I couldn’t really see the dog, but I could hear it. And I knew it could be reactive.

So I kept my six-pound pup close, holding the training handle on his leash, keeping him in the heel position right next to me.

That’s when it happened.

The other dog lunged.

I thought it was leashed. It was. But the person holding it wasn’t prepared and let go.

Suddenly, this big dog was charging us. And it wasn’t friendly.

I didn’t have time to think. I yanked my dog up into my arms, and the other dog jumped at us, trying to get to him. It all happened so fast. No one said a word. Not the woman with the stroller. Not the kids on the sidewalk. Nothing.

Except two of the kids did come up to me a few minutes later and quietly asked, “Are you okay?”

And I wasn’t.

My heart was still racing when I got home. My dog was shaking. And honestly, I was shaken too.

But here's the thing.

The next morning, I realized that this had been a wake-up call. I live near wooded areas. I’ve heard coyotes howling. I’d even had the fleeting thought that I should carry something protective when walking at night but hadn’t acted on it.

That incident pushed me to order a deterrent horn and flashlight combo. Just in case.

Was it scary? Yes.

But maybe that moment happened so that I would take the risk seriously before something worse happened.

Life isn’t always clean or calm. Sometimes it’s messy and loud and jarring. But there’s still something sacred in each moment if you choose to look for it.

Even in the scary parts. Even in the everyday.

This is your one and only life.

What would shift if you treated this exact moment like it mattered?

3 Quotes to Ponder:

  1. Joy doesn’t visit perfect moments. It lives in your presence.” — Vickie Poole

  2. “Wherever you are, be the soul of that place.” — Rumi

  3. “The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.” — Thomas Moore

2 Thought Experiments:

  1. What if obstacles are really invitations?
    Not just to react, but to reimagine. To upgrade. To shift how you show up. That dog encounter was more than a scare. It was a signal. I could have missed it. But now I’m better prepared.

  2. What if you’re not waiting for life to begin… you're already in it?
    This isn’t rehearsal. There’s no “next level” where everything is finally smooth. This is it. Right here. This breath. This moment. Even if it’s hard. Even if it’s small.

1 Action Step (Journal Prompt):

What would shift if I treated this moment - this very one - as sacred?

Take a few deep breaths. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Just sit with the question. Let your thoughts surprise you.

Remember, I'm here to support you on this journey!

Warmly,

Vickie Poole

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