Give that boy an A+



Oh how Zion and I enjoy our early morning walks at Sarasota's Bayfront Park.

 It's a good walk in and of itself, but our pleasure is increased as we meet and greet other walkers and dogs -  the regulars.

 Zion is always happy when he sees Susan and her dog Chris, Zion who sits with what I call "expectant poise" as Susan  give him his two morning treats.

 Today  (4th Sep 2019)  was an exceptionally good day as we enjoyed a gentle and warm breeze coming off the bay.

 We met a couple of children - clearly a sister and her  brother - aged maybe 14 and 12. They'd cycled to the park on the way to school, and were resting quietly on a bench when Z pulled me towards them  -  to their obvious pleasure.

 The boy asked "what is your dog's name".  "Zion" I said.  The boy responded  "just like in the bible".

 I immediately gave him an A+, telling him that most people think that the name originated in Zion's National Park  (Utah),  but that he know that it was much older.

 Then I noticed that the lad had a bible.  I guess that these children were having what evangelical Christians call a  "quiet time", a space for gentle prayer and a bit of bible reading early in the morning.

 What a wonderful way for these children to start the day.  A bike ride at Bayfront Park, a time of quiet, then back on the bikes to go to school; in this case Sarasota Military Prep (a  "Charter" Middle School).

 They had a bonus this morning  - a few minutes of canine affection from Mr. Z.


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