Lay with the dogs and you're gonna get fleas

Hey world. It’s Doggebone.

It’s been a while, I know. Life has been hectic. You know how it is, I’m sure.

Since my last post, I have been spending tons of quality time with my human family. Well, mostly my mom. She has been stressed and when she is not happy it makes me unhappy. As a loving son/dog, it is my job to make sure she is okay. Even if that means I have to bite some ankles!

Just kidding! I would if I really had to (for defense purposes) but I am not the violent type by design.

Anyway…

Do you know what it’s like when someone makes a life decision that impacts just about everyone? Well, I didn’t until recently. I never realized how complicated human lives can be.

The whole ordeal has led me to write and I want to share my thoughts with you.

Sometimes when a person makes a choice that means others in their life must make major changes to accommodate that person’s wants, it seems unfair. It really is unfair. But, we (including dogs) have free will. We can make our own choices. I won’t argue that point one little bit. But I will add that we must live with the consequences of our choices.

Forgive my canine analogy but this seems to be the best illustration I can provide…

Imagine that there is a cage of dogs. One of the dogs is constantly fighting with the other dogs and doing things that cause the other dogs to fight. The owner has taken the dog out of the cage several times. Each time the dogs in the cage are peaceful. When he puts the other dog back in the cage, the fighting begins. What does the owner do? Does he punish the nine dogs that are generally well-behaved? Does he permanently remove the “bad” dog?

What does your common sense tell you to do? It tells me that the “bad” dog has to go. Well, that is not always the way humans see things. Dogs, like me, are forgiving, but there comes a time when someone has mistreated us and those we love so much that “I’m sorry” and all the excuses in the world does not make things better.

There comes a time in life when we have to realize when it is time to walk away…and stay away. I guess that is what my mom is facing.
When a person makes a change in their life it does not erase the pain of the past. And while we are to forgive, sometimes the forget factor is the hardest part. It is in these times that we have to decide whether to continue in that relationship or walk away. If the memories of the past are so thick that the forget factor tempts us to retract our forgiveness, we should not be in that situation. So, I guess that’s how my mom is feeling now.

Mom says that being a Christian does not mean we are doormats. We are to forgive; to turn the other cheek. But, at the same time, don’t just stand there waiting on someone to keep slapping your cheek. Exercise your own free will.