Dog Gone It!
My dog, Zoey, trips me constantly. Whether I’m bumping down the stairs or shifting hot pans from the stove to the kitchen sink, she throws herself at my feet to ensure I won’t forget her. She does this all the time!
Zoey’s a Chiweenie (part Chihuahua, part Wiener dog aka Dachshund), which means, besides her small head, floppy bat-ears, long slender legs, and giraffe neck all mounted to a Tootsie Roll body, characteristics include intelligent, stubborn, and strategic.
Other than wishing I’d named her Queenie the Chiweenie (because, come on!) I yearn to change her constant need to position herself right under my feet, putting herself and me at risk.
I’ve come to understand why she does this. First, she’s obsessed with me. I am her main food supplier, dog let’er-outer, sweater-weather odometer, and emotional support mammal. Also, apparently, I speak bitch — I know what she wants and needs, whenever she wants and needs it. Plus, I’m a pushover (literally and figuratively). I spoil the old gal rotten.
Secondly, I suspect she trips me up because she’s so terrified to be left behind that causing herself harm is worth it if she gets to come along.
Yesterday was no different. I was running late to a doctor’s appointment, putting on a pair of shoes, and heading down my staircase when Zoey bowling-balled right in front of me.
I stepped on her. She yelped. I lost my balance, recovered, and screamed such obscenities at her an offshoreman or seasoned truck driver would blush.
For the rest of the day, she hid from me even after I got down to her eye level, petted her back, scratched under her chin, and gave her an I’m-so-sorry treat.
All night long, I’d see her peering around corners, hovering under chairs, and slinking behind the curtains, one eye always on me, always ready to dart in front of me as soon as the opportunity allowed.
Last night, it occurred to me that Zoey’s unwavering determination, even at the risk of harm, is admirable.
I started asking myself, how often do I become the main obstacle to overcome in my own life? When do I cling to the obvious and comfortable because I fear change? How often have I berated, scolded, and sworn at myself until that burden of words holds me down? All the fetching time!
Like Zoey, I can be so fixated on the big picture that I don’t recognize all the steps to achieve that goal until it’s suddenly smacking me in the face.
And I can’t tell you how often I only peer around corners at prospects, hover under the comfortable, and slink behind the well-known, lying to myself that I’ll make a move as soon as opportunity allows.
I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Everyone has something that scares us stiff or terrifies us into inaction. Do we trip over our aspirations because we haven’t fully planned it out? Or self-sabotage because we can’t comprehend what success looks like?
Are we so afraid of being left behind that we throw ourselves headlong into the journey just so we can be taken along? All the time, all the time, all the time!
I don’t love that I must scrutinize almost every step I take in my own home for fear of crushing my dog and then knocking myself unconscious or dead. But there is something about Zoey’s intensity, stubbornness, and zeal to get what she wants at all costs that is truly inspirational — if we live through it, that is.
