A patchwork dog covered in white, gray, brown and tan
spots.
Being Personable Isn't Just for Dogs
I have to admit that as I walked out of my house I was sort
of tetchy about it. It was still fairly
early in the morning; there was a light glow of pink radiating from the
mountains shading my land from the approaching sun. I knew morning was coming, but the clouds
were still hurling snow toward the sun as if they were trying to blow the sun
back to the East where it belonged.
I pressed a button to open the large door to the West, where
it was still dark and snowing, so I could begin to venture into my day. Stepping down the four steps in front of me I
descended to the cold floor so I could zip my boots around my still warm
ankles. My black dog stuck her nose just
ahead of me and slinked down and away, just out of my view. I knew exactly where she would go. She is there with me every morning and always
has a better attitude about it than I do.
I piled hay into my wheel barrow and began to press forward
with my water proof mittens gripping the handles in a sure handed manner. I walked up a small slope, pushing snow away
as I walked. Sure enough, my companion
was waiting for me just up ahead. She
was at her usual spot. I threw hay into
my large feeder and watched as my steer and horse walked up to begin to
eat. My dog barked and ran along the
fence. For some reason she thinks its
fun. A smile sort of cracked my face a
little as I watched this ritual and I begin to walk the wheel barrow back down
toward the house. The light began to
grow as I started to walk.
My entourage also began to grow. A patchwork dog covered in white, gray, brown
and tan spots raced past me and tried to get my attention. I've seen him before, and I saw him then, but
I didn't let him know I noticed him. At
this time of day I usually don't feel real friendly. I trudge forward.
He danced around me.
I scowled at him.
He brushed past me with his four legs doing a sort of
two-step.
I ignored him.
He played with Cricket.
I watched them as they frolicked in the snow and dodged the few
remaining snowflakes that were floating past.
The dogs were feigning a fight and flight routine. The sun was now chasing the snow away as it
shot rays of light to capture the sky.
The dogs captured me in the entrance of my big west facing
door. The patchwork dog rubbed up
against my leg and looked up at me with friendly, eager eyes. His look was one of innocence and
friendship. Then he sat, leaning on my
right leg as he looked up at me with wanting eyes and a flailing tongue.
Cricket sees her opportunity and sat as well, leaning
against my left leg, and looked up at me with expecting eyes.
I looked down at both dogs and let out a hearty laugh. "You win!
You win!" I said as I reached down and rubbed the two heads with two
hands.
Somehow we all got what we wanted. Two of us worked to offer a warm hearted
friendship and wouldn't take no for an answer.
The dogs somehow became just like the sun to the snow. Their hearts, filled with personable goodness
brought rays of light that chased away my icy heart and reminded me of the
importance of being personable to everyone.
A close friend of mine once gave me a poem entitled, "Ten
Things You can Learn From a Dog." On this day I discovered one more. Discover being personable for yourself and
see that you'll soon be the one melting icy hearts.