I had gotten home a bit late due to watching the presidential debate at a friends house. We had gathered and munched our way through the entire thing, talking at the TV as much as to each other. As I pulled my car into the driveway and began to unload my items from the long day, I left the door open, as usual, while depositing each load.
At one point, I turned to go back for another load, when suddenly something between the curtain and the one door that remained closed – moved. It was a creature to be sure. But what? I could not tell, but it was there. And then it moved again. I am not sure what happened first, my moving toward the curtain to swipe at it or the squirrel flying out from behind the window treatments. As I screamed and ran the fuzzy creature went flying and skipping across the room in the opposite direction of the exit. Just my luck.
I hurried to close off the door that led from that room into the rest of the house, then bolted out the door of choice to find the dog. My retriever. Who loves to chase squirrels and is born to retrieve. Or, so I thought. When I threw the dog into the room and told him to “get the squirrel”, I was under the assumption this would be dog heaven. I knew fur would fly, literally, but at some point, the squirrel would have to be outted in the flurry with my dog hot on his little heels. I just knew my faithful hound would stalk that critter and carefully pin it in a corner.
After waiting with baited breath at a safe distance, I noticed the dead silence. I couldn’t resist, so I decided to peek in for a closer look at the drama. To my surprise, as I peered through the glass, I found my dog quietly standing at the door that led from the “squirrel” room back into the house. He was just staring at the doorknob. Waiting. He wanted no part in this adventure. It was then I knew I was on my own. Resigned, I led the dog back into the house, and took matters into my own hands. In time, I guess the squirrel found his way out. I have no idea how or when, but at some juncture, he disappeared.
I got to thinking, we often do that same thing with people. In regards to my retriever, that is. They are big and tall, so we assume they are strong. Or, they are small, so we under estimate them. Or, they are in leadership, and we expect them to be a bit super human and to lead with great clarity and strength. The point is, we have an idea in our head about what or who a person is, or should be, and we have no problem demanding that they live up to our expectations.
Perhaps we need to cut some folks, that have disappointed us of late, just a little slack. They might not be everything we expected, but then, we might be missing their stronger points. It wouldn’t hurt to embrace their areas of strength. If, again, even for a bit. My Labrador Retriever mix may not have been my hero tonight, but he sure is worth the keep. He has a lot of other great qualities that I adore. Even if one of them isn’t retrieving.
Just my thoughts.
S.