If The Dog Bites Everyone

“If the dog bites everyone, is it everyone’s fault or the dog?”
Ever have one of those days, maybe one of those weeks, or heaven help ya, one of those months or Lord save you one of those years?
A long time ago I noticed that if things were constantly going crazy, or people were really annoying me or trouble was brewing around me that if I took a step back and honestly took a good look in the mirror it began with me and my attitude. If I was being treated by those around me, including strangers, rudely or aggressively than that is how I would react and the day or week or month would go on that way. I’d think what the heck is going on, why is everyone being so difficult? If things were just not going smoothly and how I wanted them too, than I’d wonder, “Why can’t anyone do anything right, or why are people so dumb? Sometimes drama would seem to be all around me and life would seem so overwhelming. At times I felt as if I was in conflict with everyone and really believed it was everyone else’s fault. Because, well because, I was right and they were wrong, so I justified standing strong in my convictions.
I have repeatedly been known to ask, “Why do I start out right then end up so wrong” The burned bridges big and little, behind me were beginning to be too many to count.
I finally realized that maybe, just maybe, I could be part, if not all of the problem and far less a part of the solution than I had ever been willing to admit.
Today, when life becomes dramatic, or the day too aggressive, or people around me are appearing just plain ridicules, I stop and ask myself, “If the dog bites everyone is it everyone’s fault or the dogs?” Each and every time, if I’m honest, I find that I’m the dog and that it’s my attitude that needs a bit of adjusting. That it’s my demeanor that needs to mellow the heck out and back the heck up. Although I may be right, I can choose to react with love and light and not choose to be such a bull dozer.
Life is truly so much simpler and less chaotic if we can just take responsibility for our own actions as well as reactions. We can’t control others but we can control our-self.
“If the dog bites everyone is it everyone’s fault or the dog?”
Do you see a growling dog looking back at you? When and if you do, take a deep breath, smile, be grateful and just be nice, it takes far less energy plus it’s contagious.