June 30, 2010

"Ranchers have a trick to deal with a corral of skittish horses: they place a mule in their midst.  Mules are generally more relaxed and laid-back than horses, and they exert a calming influence on high-strung equines."
-Alan Cohen,  A Daily Dose of Sanity

Are you a horse or a mule?  I think I flip back and forth between the two, but most often these days, I'm the skittish, anxious equine.  Yet, I loooooonnnnnng to be a mule!

Now, don't misunderstand.  The mule I'm referring to isn't the stubborn, obnoxiously loud farm donkey you may know from children's books and stereotypes.  The mule I want to be is of the peaceful, grass-chomping variety.  Relaxed and laid-back.  This mule simply watches the chaos created by others as it swirls around her, calming flicking an ear or a tail once in awhile if a fly gets to close for comfort.  You know, Eeyore, but without the glum personality.

When my thoughts and feelings start to stampede within me like a herd of spooked horses, I call forth my inner mule.  The peaceful, sweet image of my mule-self, grazing on luscious green grass with the warm sun beating down on my back helps me feel less frantic.  I remember that I have choices about how I want to feel.  I can choose to NOT challenge the other horses for superiority.  Hey, I can choose to NOT fight for my place at the feed trough.

I am the mule.

I have everything I need and I am fine.  My calm demeanor has a soothing effect on all those around me.

Try it.  You'll feel better and so will all those jumpy horses you live and work with every day.  Why not put a little "hee" in your daily "haw"?

 

 

June 23, 2010

"Life is nothing without friendship."  --Cicero

When asked about the main reason people choose to live with pets, survey respondents said they liked the companionship.  Some went on to describe pets as ideal friends---beings who listen attentively, don't interrupt or offer unwanted advice, and are always available when you need them.

Having access to an ideal friendship like this can be especially significant for teens.  Adolescents are often too self-conscious or hesitant to confide their deepest fears and secrets to other humans.  My 16-year-old daughter, for instance, told me she liked living with our pets because they loved her "no matter what I do or say or how I look that day", they play with her and let her be silly when her human friends expect her to be "cool", and she can talk to them, often telling them things about herself that she wouldn't necessarily share with others.

Sounds like pets can also be thought of as ideal parents...

 

June 16, 2010

"Love conquers all, even snoring." -Peter Ustinov

In the evening hours, usually when I'm trying to sleep or finally have time to read that great mystery I bought two weeks ago, my home becomes filled with a symphony of snoring.

My husband snores...loudly.  Actually, more than loudly.  It's a deafening roar.

My Chesapeake Bay retriever snores.  Most of the time, it's more like a pig snorting.

And my black, 20-pound male cat snores...and whistles...and makes some sort of noise that sounds like those old, electric coffee pots while they percolate.  Remember those?   If you don't, stop by my house some night and listen to Grafton.  It'll all come back to you...

There are nights when I feel frustrated by all this snoring.  But, before I throw down my book and stomp off to wake everyone up, I have a little chat with myself.  I ask myself what I would miss most if these sweet, beloved beings were no longer in my life?

The answer...well, it wouldn't be the snoring! But, the lack of those annoying snorts and whistles would certainly make me feel lonely.  Allowing myself to imagine what the lack of snoring would feel like helps me appreciate the current level of noise.

Snore on, dear family.  When I remind myself that I love each and every one of you, it's music to my ears...

 

June 9, 2010

"Let some of the tranquility of the cat curl into me."
-David Harold Rowbothom

Doesn't this quote send waves of peacefulness and contentment through your body?  I feel less stressed by simply reading it!

My cats curl into their naps for most of the day.  When I happen upon them, snoozing in the sun or tucked into a tight corner of a couch, I yearn to dive into slumber beside them.  Most of the time I can't, of course, but I get a mental break just by watching them for a few seconds.
A sleeping cat makes me happy.  Now, I'll hold that image in my mind for the rest of my day and use it as a relaxation tool when I start to feel anxious or upset.  Try it!  It works!

 

June 2, 2010

When we say, "I don't know" we open ourselves to discover what lies beyond our current levels of understanding. There is wisdom in not knowing.

'Not Knowing' gives us the freedom and opportunity to learn. People who can admit to 'not knowing' tend to be more confident, at least intellectually and emotionally, than those who pretend to know it all. Life-long learners are comfortable in their own skins and don't feel the need to bluff their way through life. Instead, they ask questions, seek answers, and listen more than they speak.

It's one of the great paradoxes of life that pretending to know everything can make you appear foolish, while admitting you don't know can make you seem wise!