7.11.11

Lick

I wish the dog would stop licking me.
Not that she's licking me now, because she isn't.
But as of late, she's been doing this thing...
I think she may actually be jealous of the mouse. I have my right hand on it for the better part of the day, and I'm almost positive she thinks I'm... petting it.
Strange, yes, but would you listen to this: Every now and again, throughout the day, she pitters on up to where I am seated. Looking at me with bright expectant eyes, her tail flouncing back and forth behind her, I swear, this dog knows she's cute, trotting along with her ears perked and flopping forward. A smile on her muzzle, tongue poking out the side. How could you say no to that? It's adorable. You can't. As soon as she get's close, LICK. Just one quick, wet, cold, lick on the hand. It usually results in the mouse being clicked, most of the time somewhere completely inconvenient like that red button in the upper corner of your browser window, and well... 

Many projects have been abandoned due to the lick.



That isn't even the worst part. What could be worse than losing your work, or even a project? It would make you want to scream, shout, kick things! Well, here is the worst part. You can't do any of that, because there that damned dog sits, with her head cocked sideways, tongue out, ears perked, tail wagging. The most innocent look on her face, and her eyes filled to the brim with hope and love.
So what can you do? 
You can reach your wet, slobbered, possibly twitching with rage palm out over her head. You can give her a pat, maybe ruffle her fur a bit, and say, "Oh what a good girl!" You can put on the sweetest tone and speak through clenched teeth, because you know that it isn't her fault. She had no idea, she is just a dog. Dogs don't understand computers, they barely understand cars! Sighing, you pat the dog on the head, and collect yourself. Rage may bloom ever so slightly inside of you, but you suppress it. It really isn't worth it, is it.

Come to think of it,

Raging over small shit people other do that annoys you really isn't worth it.

So how the hell do you react?
Sometimes I find the best way to evaluate situations is to look at them in a completely different light. When wronged by a friend, I often find myself imagining them years younger. It helps to not say something you really don't mean, or to fly off the handle. Some people call it checking yourself, but I'm not entirely sure. I wouldn't call it that, because I am most certainly not checking me. I'm checking the other person, re-evaluating them. Really trying to see how they are feeling, truly empathizing with them. I find that doing this makes it ten times easier to step into their shoes. Seeing them as a child, or an animal, a being without the complexity. So next time someone licks your hand, messes you up, or even won't stop giving you a goofy grin; 


Cut it down to the raw emotion behind the situation, and often that is the best place to start.

With the emotion.



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