A Morning Ritual That Warms the Soul, Fills the Heart, and Empties the Streets
From Mama Becker
Everyone has their little rituals. Some folks meditate. Some journal. At our house, we walk—and like most meaningful rituals, ours has grown into something more than just stretching legs.
We call it Pick. Sniff. Sip.
It all began with a simple goal: take daily walks. But we’ve added a few delightful layers—starting with picking up garbage along the way. Armed with a picker (usually in Karen’s hand) and a garbage bag (in mine), we turn our neighborhood strolls into mini clean-up missions. Not only does it give our walks purpose, but it’s also surprisingly satisfying. And no, we don’t let it interfere with coffee time—because yes, coffee is part of the ritual.
This morning, my husband Jim and our beloved 17-year-old dog Homer joined us. Homer still insists on his twice-a-day walks, and he’s what we affectionately call a sniffer. Every bush, blade of grass, and lamppost gets a thorough examination. Between Homer’s nose and our garbage picker, progress is slow—but steady.
Each walk includes a destination. We rotate between three favorite local coffee shops, each beckoning us from a different direction. Choosing our route based on coffee? Absolutely. One hand’s for the bag, and one’s reserved for sipping.
But the real magic happens when we turn it into a full-blown family affair.
This morning, my husband Jim and our beloved 17-year-old dog Homer joined us. Homer still insists on his twice-a-day walks, and he’s what we affectionately call a sniffer. Every bush, blade of grass, and lamppost gets a thorough examination. Between Homer’s nose and our garbage picker, progress is slow—but steady.
We’re always surprised by how much trash we find: mostly paper products, but occasionally neat little bundles—carefully tied plastic bags full of refuse. We suspect a local homeless woman (whom we've seen a few times) might be the source. In her own quiet way, she’s helping tidy our town, creating little packages of her own waste. It’s a humbling reminder that community care comes in many forms.
Our walk this morning was lovely, in the way the simplest things often are. It reminded me how deeply rituals root us. Walking Homer isn’t just a responsibility—it’s a shared family rhythm. One that benefits our bodies, clears our minds, and strengthens our bond with our furry family member.
We aim (sometimes unsuccessfully) for 10,000 steps a day. But when we include Homer and Dad on our coffee-garbage-pickup route, we get close—and we always get connection.
So here’s my invitation to fellow dog lovers and ritual-makers:
Let your daily walk be more than a loop around the block. I’m not a fan of multitasking, BUT if multitasking were to be encouraged, this is the perfect time and place. Invite a walking partner, treat your dog to a sniffarie, grab a garbage bag and a picking stick or simply use your hands, (then wash well) bring or go buy a delicious cup of coffee, and enjoy all of it all at the same time! Let it be a ritual of friendship, movement, mindfulness, cleanup, and joy—for you, your dog, your friend and your community.
Sometimes we need training treats on our walks with Homer to encourage him to focus on a healthy goodie rather than react to a male dog he sees. Want to check out these tiny, tasty tidbits? Click here to get your Mini Bites at a 15% discount (no code needed):
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Happy Sniffing, Picking and Sipping from Mama Becker (wishing I could join you!)