What I Learned about Negativity from my Dog

Does negativity stop you from receiving unexpected gifts?

I asked myself that question while walking home from the park today with my dog. You see, I didn’t want my dog at first. However, every morning we spend time together in the park where I take time to breathe, set my goals for the day, and get some exercise.

I resisted.

I’ve always had dogs in my life, but when my Lab Sadie died just before my second son was born, I chose not to get another pet. I couldn’t face having to care for a puppy along with a newborn.

As my sons grew, they began to ask for a dog but I resisted; until three years ago when a favourite uncle called to say he had a dog to give to the boys. His name was Tank, and he would be arriving that December. The unexpected news that we would soon have a dog sent me straight into a whirl.

I was convinced it would go wrong.

As so often goes with me, I became consumed by the negative impacts something new could have on my life.  From cleaning up dog hair and wet, muddy paws to house training and behaviour issues, I was convinced a dog would disrupt the familiar pattern of my days.

The thing is my uncle who was giving us the dog was dying. And I didn’t want to refuse his gift. So, I agreed to take the dog despite my misgivings and, that December, Tank arrived.

It was exactly what we needed.

When I saw Tank for the first time, I was surprised at how quickly my apprehension lifted. I suddenly realized how much I missed the presence of a loving dog in our home and it seemed somehow that our family was now complete.

In the following weeks, we adjusted to having Tank in our lives, and something amazing began to unfold. Tank seemed to be exactly what our family needed. What I needed. In the months following my uncle’s death, Tank was a source of enormous comfort for all of us. During my long struggle with health issues, he drew me out of the house every day and forced me to keep going. And, thanks to our daily walks, I’ve met a new circle of women who also have dogs. It has become our routine to meet mid-week to run our dogs, catch up on our lives, discuss problems, ponder solutions, and cheer each other on as we pursue our dreams and endeavours.

Life was better.

Walking back from the park today, it occurred to me that Tank is one of the best things to have happened to me. That made me realize something. In all the months I spent worrying about how a new dog would negatively impact my life, it never occurred to me that he might make it better. That got me to thinking. Just how many opportunities and blessings have I missed by assuming “negative” first?

Staying in my comfort zone.

Staying in my comfort zone is a pattern in my life. I like to know what to expect and when. Too often, I convince myself to resist something new and I might be missing out. Just like I may have missed out on Tank.

Unexpected gifts.

I’m not sure I can entirely stop considering how new things might negatively impact my world. Not everything is going to turn out as well as Tank has. But I’m going to try to consider the positive effects that a new situation may have as well. Because one thing I’ve learned from my dog is that the most unexpected gifts can come from places I imagine to be negative.

Let me know what you think.

Do you miss out by thinking of the negative first? Add your thoughts in the comments below.

You’re wondeful.

ML