A Lesson from Emma: Reacting to Things that Scare Us

The funniest thing I ever did see.... and one of the best lessons I ever did learn.

My granddog was staying with me for a few days and I needed to mow the lawn. I thought Emma, an Australian shepherd, would enjoy spending a few hours outside with me while I was taking care of things. I knew we were in for an "adventurous" couple of hours when I started the mower.... "vrm. Vrm. vrm. VROOOOOOMMMMMMM!", the mower started and Emma was over to investigate in a New York minute!

She barked and she jumped at the mower. She barked and barked and growled and jumped again at the mower. She got down on her front two feet and growled and lunged toward it again and again. Even as I put the mower in motion, she was at "its" heels, jumping toward and growling and barking the entire hour and a half.

At first it was funny. Then it became annoying. Then it became a lesson.

I got to thinking how sometimes we want to beat down and destroy the things we fear. We act tough - possibly putting on a front so they don't figure out that it is we, who are truly frightened. We want to pounce on them and smother them so they never again make a sound or upset us.

But perhaps these things that scare us, frighten us, upset us - perhaps they are a tool to help "sharpen" us, to "prune" us or to make us more beautiful (inside or out).
Perhaps they make us better and actually make our lives easier in the long run. (Can you imagine taking care of your lawn WITHOUT a mower? Might be time to buy a goat!)

Thank you, Emma, for helping me look at life in another way.
... And that reminds me - time to go mow the lawn!