Every time we take a walk with our girls, I always wonder the same thing: what are they thinking about? 
What do they smell? 
What are they experiencing? 
I've come to see our walks like taking them to a bookshop or a library. 

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Our oldest girl is bookish. She stops, smells, and stays. She will interrogate a single piece of grass for 5 minutes before she is satisfied that she understands everything she needs to know about that spot on the ground. 
Who went there? 
What were they doing? 
Was it a rabbit that nibbled a clover nearby? 
Did an earthworm wriggle up to the surface? 
We could linger on the same block for an hour as she deep dives into the unseen world, investigating and discovering that which I can not. 

If I imagine her as I am, entering a world of books filled floor to ceiling, I know where she is headed. Or, at least, I think I do. 

I envisage her politely walking to the non-fiction section, picking out reference books and memoirs. 

She's a scientist and a philosopher.

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Our youngest girl is determined. She is also silly. She stops, smells (for a brief moment), and moves on. She keeps her head up, looking around, walking steadfast to the next path, allowing the smells in the air to wash over her. She may suddenly pause for a scent that captivates her, but her interest is broad and she skims the pages. In an hour, we could traverse the entire neighborhood, twice.

If I imagine her as I am, entering a world of books filled floor to ceiling, I know where she is headed. Or, at least, I think I do. 

I envisage her running like a wild force towards the children's section, picking out an adventure story based on the cover art. I see her exploring the toys and playing with the wooden train set. She is full of wonder and play. 

She is an imagineer.

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Today the bookshop might be sparse. The heat has pushed the wildlife deeper into their burrows and the shade of the trees. It is still and quiet above the ground. Those are the days my girls lumber along, both of them disinterested in the options before them.

Perhaps today they will have to create their own adventures and ponder their own musings. What is the inner world of a dog like? 
Do they daydream? 
Do they invent stories? 
Do they plan or consider the day ahead of them, mitigating boredom or accepting rest?

If I imagine them as I am, then yes. 

Image credit: cover photo, courtesy of my friend, Delayna, who captured her pup and my girls sitting peacefully, together.