While most of my posts are going to be about children, I have to admit my dog has taught me quite a bit. Hershey is still technically a puppy (I have been promised that when she turns two she will be good and calm…come on September!), and she has the energy to prove it. One way we burn off her energy, especially on cold or rainy days, is by chasing the red laser in the basement. She gets really excited when I say “light” and runs downstairs, staring frantically at the floor then up at me then back to the floor. The other day, I left the light in her reach without thinking and went on to other things. In moments she had completely chewed it to death, but then brought it to me so we could play again. Since I don’t speak dog, there was no way I could explain to her that she had ruined any chance of playing with that light ever again. She kept looking and barking at me, trying to explain what she wanted and I kept showing her the broken light trying to explain it wouldn’t work (I was a little embarrassed when I realized I’d been arguing with a dog).
It got me thinking, though about all those people (me, included) who get mad at God or blame other people for things we’ve done ourselves. How many lights have I chewed up, then sat in self-pity or barked at God because he wasn’t letting me play? Maybe with practice, Hershey and I can learn to own the responsibility for our choices and actions. Or maybe I’ll just keep buying new lights.
saving the dandelions 