The presence of Archie

Archie and I were out a walk this morning in the wind and rain. We were up the Greenock Cut where the clouds had come down to meet us. We both got wet, Archie got very dirty.
I have heard it said that dogs are a good example of being present and that was exemplified today by our walk. As I followed one train of thought that led to another train of thought that led to a song that led to a tv show that led to another train of thought, I turned to see where Archie was. He was about 30 metres behind me sniffing and piddling his way along the path. He would turn his head at any noise and drink the rain puddles as he headed towards me. That distance between him and I was equal to the distance between myself and the present moment and I realised that I was somewhere other than where I was. 
So I decided to become like Archie. Fear not dear reader, I didn't start to drink the puddles and sniff the grass but did come out of my head and into my body. The rain on my face, my jeans starting to soak through the waterproof trousers, two crows fussing in the strong wind, the water in the channel and its flow over bright mossy green into ice at a bend, the soles of my stocking feet in my shoes feeling the path.
I looked for Archie and he wasn't behind me but at my feet sniffing at the grass, raising his leg for a piddle. There he was and here I was out in the weather above Greenock soaking wet with my dog.