Geriatrics, a Schnauzer Named Fritz, and the Storm That Shakes Off What Isn’t Solid

A Little April Havoc, a Schnauzer Named Fritz & the Soulfulness of Aging

Here’s a heartfelt post about a beautifully raw, rich, and real moment that showed up in my life yesterday—like a little film scene unfolding with humor, warmth, clumsiness, connection, and a deeper reflection on aging, soul, and meaning.

It ties together neuropathy, loneliness, and our spiritual need for belonging.

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Yesterday in Busot, Spain, I was sipping a well-deserved 0.0% beer after two full days of working online, basking in the sun, waiting for my hubby, when the slow approach of an elderly lady and her black schnauzer gently rerouted my day.

Life didn’t warn me that this duo would bring stories, spilled beers, and little soul truths into my afternoon.

The lady was walking towards me just as my hubby had parked his car, awkwardly maneuvering around a backing car that held its course as stubbornly as he did (almost getting hit in the process — “Don’t get killed there!” I yelled). The waiter arrived just in time for more confusion — who’s ordering what? 

My hubby chimed in for beer and soup.

As I leaned over to kiss him gently on the lips, the elderly lady and her dog reached the terrace and stopped, wide-eyed. She wasn’t just any passerby — turns out, she was Brigit from his local language group, discovering that her Finnish collegue was kissing a woman! 

Cue the chaos: my hubby got up too fast as he saw her and called out Brigit!, knocked over my beer straight onto my shorts.. Sigh.. 

As Brigit and the schnauzer, Fritz, joined us, the tables kept shaking, the drinks in danger of falling, as the dog flew up at anything coming by, barking and tugged at the table legs. 

An April day like no other. It’s that kind of April-Mars-time in life when the storm shakes off everything that is not stuck solid.. such was my remark to the lady named Brigit, born and raised in Stuttgart, and a writer for the local newspaper. 

It turned out to be a heartwarming day.. continued at home with the snauzer named Fritz, needing correction at barking at the offended donkey Dolce from next door. But, I still managed to finish off my online workload! 

As we dropped Brigit home later in the afternoon, and admired her senior citizen setup,we learned she had a neuropathy was feeling quite lonely and.. then some more.. there is always more.. 

That’s life I guess. 

This morning as iI was showering, i thought neuropathy.. so many reasons for our aging bodies to loose feeling, sense and neurons.. Tying it together.. here is the breakdown:

Neuropathy. The fading of sensation. The body’s quiet withdrawal from itself. Aging isn’t just creaky knees or fading memories — it’s a slow loss of feeling, connection, and vitality. Both physically and emotionally.

Loneliness. Even with a schnauzer and sunshine, it lingers. Especially when your stories have fewer people to land with.

And God. Or whatever word you use for the immaculate One. The One to whom all souls belong. That part of us doesn’t age. That part still longs — for closeness, for real connection, for kisses at café terraces and someone to say: “You matter.”

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So here’s to:

🌱 Preventing neuropathy through movement, B vitamins, and regular checkups.
🫶 Combating loneliness by inviting people in — even if it means chaos, schnauzers, and spilled beers.
🙏 And remembering we are souls with bodies, not the other way around. God matters, because belonging does. 

Tell me…
When was the last time an unexpected person (and their dog) brought soul back into your day?

#GeriatricCare #NeuropathyAwareness #Loneliness #SpiritualHealth #SoulCare #AgingGracefully #ConnectedSouls #EverydayGrace #BusotMoments