She is a Labrador retriever and less frightening than my Pekingese, who barks at everything. The gentle giant of a dog would kill, I believe, by making you sit for hours petting her until your arm fell off.
Fear of dogs, I understand, is real and is rooted in experiences from childhood. My children do not like to go to sleep without me sitting with them. Even with that, I put calming music on, praise music, or simple children’s tunes played in a classical format.
They have night lights, lamps, closet lights, and, well, I almost feel they ought to have the overhead on with so many others shining. I need blackout and quiet to sleep and I don’t understand their need for light and sound.
When my late husband and I went on trips, we did not go to big cities. We would go through them towards a more out-of-the-way locale. Most people consider it a vacation only if the destination includes a theme park, a hotel, and spending lots of money and time seeing the sites. I’m OK with the hotel, but out of the way.
When I stay in a large city in a hotel, there are activities at the hotel. My kids are happy at the pool. They love the buffets. Movies on the lawn are a treat, too, and yet, finding a hiking path with rocks and sticks with posed and candid photographs is also great as far as they are concerned.
I write all of this to say I would not think to impose my preferences on anyone else. Having said that, I am thinking of the hoopla we have created with a zero tolerance. More and more, the slightest concern, which years ago would have been passed off with reason and understanding, is now a major issue.
We react to the slightest provocation in all areas. We are fearful of lawsuits because we didn’t enact this rule or that law. Much like the WWE, we body slam punishment in an effort to be “doing our part” against the evils of this world.
Why are we making enemies out of everyone? If your friend wronged you, wouldn’t you tell them you are hurt? Wouldn’t you discuss the situation with them? Why do we pit this side against that as we draw boundaries up everywhere we go?
And yes, I am saying all of this after last week in which I whined about the injustice of “it all.” It’s life. How we respond is what we will get out of it.
The Bible explains it to us like this: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
I remember the verse as, “if at all possible live at peace with all men,” but that may be a different translation. Either way, I am looking to follow peace rather than our own designs on how we think life “should” be.
I know well enough to stay away from some people, although I slip and fall, but hopefully it is only momentary.
I pray you find your “happy place” as well.
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