Backyard Squirrels and Frontline Lessons

Every morning like clockwork, my dog sprints into the backyard with one mission: chase the squirrels. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, cold, or blazing hot—he bounds out with full enthusiasm, tail wagging, nose to the ground, eyes scanning the trees. The squirrels, of course, are long gone before he even gets close. But that doesn’t stop him. Not one bit.

To an outside observer, it might look a little ridiculous. Day after day, chase after chase, no squirrel is ever caught. Yet there’s something beautifully persistent about it. My dog’s not discouraged by failure. He’s not keeping score. He doesn’t sulk after another fruitless sprint. Instead, he finishes each chase with a proud bounce and a glance back at me, as if to say, “Did you see that? Almost got him!”

Lately, I’ve realized there’s something deeply instructive about this ritual, especially as I think about my work in the community.

Community work can feel like chasing squirrels too. You spend time planning, pursuing funding, engaging neighbors, starting programs—and sometimes it feels like the problems still scatter faster than you can catch them. Issues like poverty, inequality, or disconnection don’t resolve overnight. Progress can be slow, and at times, invisible. But maybe that’s not the point.

My dog reminds me that showing up with passion—every day, without fail—is the heart of meaningful work. His chase is not about the result; it’s about the joy in the process, the consistency, and the belief that one day, maybe, just maybe, he’ll succeed. In the same way, community work isn’t always about quick wins. It’s about momentum, energy, and belief in the mission.

Another lesson? He doesn’t chase squirrels alone because he wants glory—he does it because it’s in his nature to protect, to engage, to act. As community workers, we act because we care, because people matter, because this is our shared home.

Sure, my dog never catches the squirrel. But that doesn’t make the chase meaningless. Each dash is a declaration: I’m here. I’m trying. I care. And if I can carry even half that spirit into my community work, I think I’ll be on the right path.

So tomorrow morning, when my dog takes off again, I’ll be watching—and learning.

Written by David L. Burton

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Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or burtond@missouri.edu. You can also visit his website at https://engagedneighbor.com.