"THOU SHALL APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO HAVE, 'DOGGONE' IT"

Before I walked outside to water my flower beds this morning, I grabbed two equally tasty rawhide bones. One for Faith, our 9 month old chocolate labe and one for Ringo, our four year-old caramel colored, long-hair daschund.


I thought it'd be a nice treat for the both of them while they kept me company outside.

I happily entered my own world of thoughts, while watering my beloved flowers. 

After a while, I noticed that somehow Ringo had BOTH bones in his possession.

I looked over at Faith and noticed that she was innocently staring at Ringo with her head cocked to one side, (probably wondering why he took her treat from her).

I stopped what I was doing and went over to Ringo while softly admonishing him for taking his "little" sister's bone. He understood exactly what I said because he wouldn't look at me.

I gave the bone back to Faith, who jumped up on a lounge chair, and proceeded to chew happily on her treat.

I kept my eye on them while I continued to water.

Lo and behold, Faith accidentally drops her bone off the side of the chair, at which time Ringo springs into action taking the bone away again!

"Ringo! No sir! You have your own bone, silly boy! Why do you feel the need to have Faith's bone too?!" I say as I reach and pull the bone out of his mouth.

I gave it back to Faith, then put HIS bone closer to his mouth as a reminder that he has the exact same kind of treat. Same flavor, same size....I mean it came from the same flippin' box, for crying out loud! Ha!

He didn't want it.

He totally snubbed it.

He literally walked away to a far away spot and looked away from both Faith and me. 

Faith, being sweet, lovable Faith, jumps off the lounge chair and finds her a perfect spot, close to her "big" brother (who is 3 times smaller than her) and continues to enjoy her bone some more.

Watching this scenario between my dogs, got me thinking about us...humans. 
We do this same doggone thing sometimes!

It seems we constantly want what other's have. It's sounds so crazy to admit, but if we're honest, we will admit this about ourselves. I'm guilty too!

I'll walk into a friends home and leave saying to Kevin, "Gosh I hate my kitchen! Did you see her granite? I want that in my kitchen so badly."

Or "so and so has the greatest little guest house...If anybody needs a guest house, it is us, Kevin... Do you think we could ever have one?" ( Can't you just picture him rolling his eyes or banging his head on the steering wheel?) ha!

Once he even said to me in a frustrated tone, Can't you just be satisfied with what we DO have?"

And he was right. I mean, seriously...C'mon, me, ya have it pretty good, right?

So the question remains:

 Why do we do this?!?

Why do we....many times...want what we don't have...or want what is not ours?

Why do we insist on looking at what others have and secretly wishing it was our own?

And I wonder why it's so dang hard to be satisfied with what we already DO have?

Sounds crazy, huh?

I think it might just be a simple case of forgetting to be grateful...

...We begin "expecting" too much....

 ....And instead of appreciating what we DO have, we decide to focus on what we DON'T have. (And it IS a choice, you know). ;-)

The Good news?

 (there's always good news)

....The good news is that once you recognize that EVERYTHING you think, dream about and focus on is in your control, then your perspective on EVERYTHING can change ....and it can begin to change for the better.

IF we begin to truly control our mind and decide to think only healthy and positive thoughts for our life, THEN we are making the choice to live a more fulfilled life. ....A life full of joy, happiness and contentment.

Here's to enjoying the "treats" of your life.

May you appreciate them, be satisfied with them, and may you never let them be squandered away by your own selfishness.

Cheers to Faith and Ringo for my "life lesson" today...

 *clink*

Have a great one,
Teri