The window sills at our house are about a foot off the floor which is a great height for me to rest my chin while surveying the front yard and street. I like to bark at people, other dogs and the various things I see as they go by. Pop has asked me what I’d do with the cars (or squirrels) I bark at, if I could actually chase one and catch it. I never really gave it much thought. I suppose barking at the things I see that are different and don’t seem to belong here is instinctive. Pop says folks do that, too.
For example, he says some folks at his church, Boy Scout groups, Rotary Club and other places frequently create drama. They even threaten to leave when they don’t get what they think they want. Pop says these groups are just microcosms of society. None of ’em are perfect. There are folks they don’t care for and disagree with and those that they really get along with and enjoy.
Pop wonders if, like me, some of these folks would know what to do if they got what they think they want. Now, most of the time, it’s just wanting our own way. Nobody, including me, likes to be told no. But, we can’t always get what we want.
(He’s gotta admit, though, that he got what he wanted for his birthday this past weekend – she crab soup, grits a ya ya, triple chocolate bunt cake and family & friends to share it with.)
So, how do we get what we want? Pop says we ought to try to be extraordinary – not just average. For example, he said we ought to consider how we treat people we encounter doing everyday jobs, like the cashier at Chick-fil-A and the bank teller – I like them anyway ’cause they always give me a treat. Find a reason to make a positive fuss over ’em (like they do me) and watch the extraordinary results! Don’t take anyone for granted.
The other day Pop said that even though 2012 hasn’t been a banner year for lots of things, there are still lots of things he believes and believes in.
He says he has faith that stayin’ steadfast in his core values and principles that, ultimately, things will work out okay.
This year he lost his buddy, Angus, and a couple of other dear friends. His Auburn Tigers have been spiraling the drain in an anomaly that nobody seems to understand after winning a national championship just two years ago. And he’s really concerned about what might happen to our country after this last election and the potential for disaster if the president goes rogue.
In spite of all that, though, he believes he’ll see Angus and his buddies again in a better place that knows no sorrow. He believes his team will recover and learn from the adversity they continue to endure. He believes in the spirit of our country and in it’s resilience to rebound from whatever challenges it faces. He believes he’ll give thanks when our family gathers together in a couple of weeks – thanks for the things that have gone right.
As for me, I’m thankful that I’m one of the good things that happened to Pop in 2012 and that he’s thankful for me. And I’m really thankful that our windows are low enough for me to have such a great view out front. That being the case, I believe I’ll mosey over to the dining room window, lay on the air vent and keep watch for bad guys and those pesky squirrels.
Even though I can’t always have what I want, I have to admit, I have everything I need.