MomentumI'm a "dog person," not a cat person. Pretty much, a dog can do just about anything and I'll think it's cute. Cats? They make me itch. Don't get me wrong - at one time I had 17 cats - all outdoors on our rural acreage - but I got along just fine with them. Cats brought me presents. In the course of one's life, a cat provides the gift of possum heads or half snakes along with the occasional bird or rabbit and the common field mouse. Dogs? Their loving presence is present enough. Dogs believe in who they are. They go about life knowing they're dogs and they think that's just great. Cats engage in role-playing of tigers, cheetahs, leopards, or lions. You can almost read their minds when poised to pounce on prey and biting and kicking, they tear the catnip toy with sadistic feline pleasure, knowing their inner-lion growls near the surface. Other than an occasional wolf-like howl at the moon or piercing sound, dogs remain content just being dogs. Dogs plod along on an even keel, enjoying the momentum of life. Our pets teach us so much and as we observe their interaction with one another and with us, we learn about ourselves, too. For example, the city of Phoenix operates several dog parks. Public land specially fenced and equipped for dogs to run free. Doggie water stations, special plastic bag dispensers for owners to use and acres of open grassy park room to romp and play. Curiously, the often territorial dogs interact with relative ease and comfort as they clown around with new dog-friends. Suddenly, owners voices carry no influence when Fido plays with Fifi and beats Spike to a flying disc thrown by some human. Sometimes dozens of tennis balls fly through the park and dogs don't care much which one they catch. The source of the amusement seems immaterial, it's the pursuit of the game that's important. Curiously, when unleashed, the dogs inside the park get along famously. The moment a leash gets attaches to a collar, that dog becomes defensive and aggressive, both of his freedom and his owner. When life puts a leash on you, do you react defensively and aggressively, too? Perhaps you attach your own leash - more the pity. Soon, the dog with momentum, adjusts to his reverted tether and he moves, with momentum, back to the vehicle with his owner. Even with a collar and leash, he's pretty darn happy to be alive. May you always know who you are and even when life throws some fast ones, may you see them as gifts regardless of the source. And no matter who put the collar and leash on your ideals and dreams, may you move forward with glorious momentum through life, comfortable in your own "fur." Marlene |