Our world’s daily upheaval can leave me feeling so frustrated.
Last week, when my aggravation affected my generally pawsitive attitude, I posed a question on my Facebook Page – What has been your biggest insight during our time with Covid-19? I was blown away by the nearly three hundred thoughtful responses I received. Among them were comments such as….
- We humans are not as powerful as we think we are.
- How we can’t make simple sacrifices for the well-being of the planet.
- Waking up is a long and arduous process for humanity.
- How important family and friends are.
- How fragile we are.
- I am not the introvert I thought I was.
- I am more of a recluse than I thought I was.
- Happiness can be found in nature and with animals.
- How much loneliness there is…how much we need each other.
Out of all the responses I read, there was one comment that resonated with me in a deeper way, “Just be Kind,” my friend Tanya posted. We can disagree and still be kind…”
The Wise in the Woof
Tanya’s words stayed with me all day and into the early evening when I went to the dog park with Grace. Inside was a young rescue dog cowering under a table; thin, black, and fearful of other dogs and humans. Grace took her time and meandered towards him. Gently, she brought her nose to his. In a few moments his legs stopped shaking and his tail began to wag. Then they began to chase each other around the park and play.
It isn’t the first time I’ve seen Grace make friends with a scared, timid or even aggressive dog. Somehow, despite her abusive past, Grace understands how to get along with other dogs – and people.
I would have given anything for Grace not to have gone through the unimaginable hoarding situation that she came from before we adopted her; it pains me to think how cruelly people treated her. But it also amazes me how every day Grace moves past her fears and towards a new superpower that serves her well – kindness. Whether it’s a human or a dog, Grace approaches calmly, looks them in the eye with a sweet expression, and in short order she’s made a new friend. People tend to forget my name, but they don’t forget Grace and the connection she makes with them.
Kindness Isn’t a One Way Street
You may be as frustrated as I am by Covid-19, by having to use masks, staying quarantined at home, and social distancing from others. You may feel overwhelmed at the impending climate change and that our fellow humans aren’t taking it as seriously as they should. You may be infuriated at our political leaders and their blatant disregard of the things we hold dear. But, we can still cultivate our emotional resilience, strengthen our spirit, and have some control in this time of upheaval by using kindness to navigate the hardships life throws our way.
Beyond this, when we muster up our resolve to be kind, we realize that kindness is a two-way street – when we are kind to others, doesn’t it feel like we’ve just been a little kinder to ourselves too?
Stay stay healthy & stay pawsitive,
Carlyn MDO 💜
PS: Looking for a boost of pawsitivity to add to your day? Check out my TEDx Talk – The Life-Changing Power of the Animal-Human Health connection – Here!
Amen Carlyn & Grace!
“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof. What I want is so simple I almost can’t say it: elementary kindness. Enough to eat, enough to go around. The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers nor the destroyed. That’s about it. Right now I’m living in that hope, running down its hallway and touching the walls on both sides.”
-Barbara Kingsolver
I love that quote! And I’m a big fan of B.Kingsolver’s books. What a wonderful thought, to raise children to be neither the destroyers nor the destroyed. Profound and wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing your insight, Tracy. Grace sends her love:)