“Nobody can drive you crazy unless you agree to sit in their passenger’s seat.” – Alan Cohen
^^^^^Here’s another one that I had to have for our shared thought museum, here at Adulting – Second Half. How true is this statement? As I am writing this, a squirrel is trying to get Trip (our excitable and infamous, and unfortunately proven, squirrel hunter/killer Boykin spaniel) to fully engage. The daredevil squirrel is tapping on the fence and slowly walking across it, twitching its tail tantalizingly, and frequently pausing and watching Trip, as he cheekily shows off his tricky little tightrope routine/show. Interestingly, Trip is watching calmly and alertly in the backyard, but he is not choosing to engage in what is usually (thank goodness) a fruitless game. Trip is enjoying the plush grass, the still cool air, and his full tummy from the hearty breakfast that he just consumed. He is taking a backseat and allowing the show to go on, without participating in it. The squirrel is annoyed with this, surprisingly. He seems agitated and keeps chirping incessantly at Trip. Apparently, Rocky the squirrel, likes high stakes games of putting his life on the line for the pure thrill and excitement of it. (I truly believe that much like free solo mountain climbers, there is something annoyingly unusual in squirrels’ brains which makes them relatively fearless and antagonizing. My apologies to squirrel lovers, but not really.)
It is nice and surprising to see Trip not jump shotgun into the squirrel’s Ferrari. It shows a healthy side of Trip seldom seen. I believe that this bodes well for a peaceful day for all of us.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.
Oh man, you got me again!
I’ve really had to work at disengaging from crazy lately—my own crazy, not other people’s. I’ve shifted my perspective from “My ex is such a jerk—he never sends the support checks on time” to “How blessed am I to receive these funds right when I need them?!” I’ve quit the battle with my neighbor about how he treats his pets (and humans not within his inner circle) because I realized I was waging war against an enemy who didn’t even know it was happening and who wouldn’t care even if he was aware. In his view, I exist to walk his dog and bring in the empty trash cans on Tuesdays. And you know what? I’m cool with that. The fewer interactions I have with him, the better I feel. Why did it take me so long to figure that out?
Although I am reactive by nature, today I’m chillin’ like Trip, just enjoying the sunshine and doing my own thing. I appreciate the squirrel show, but that doesn’t mean I have to be involved.
It’s a hard lesson to really sink in, “our own feelings are on us, our own responsibility.” (other people don’t create them) Thanks for you support and validation, Kelly. 🙂