And those things usually revolve around the numerous four-footed fur kids that share my life.
If you have read my blogs you will understand the level of devotion I have towards them. They always come first and foremost. My "raison d'etre", my passion, my joy. Sure, there's lots of things I do; I work, I do martial arts, I maintain a whole slew of web pages about various topics that affect public safety, I'm a mom, but take my responsibilities very seriously when it comes to those creatures who count on me.
So maybe it was timing, a week of spending something the equivalent of an extra mortgage payment between vets, dog school and transport, that sent me slightly into the realm of annoyance.
Or maybe it was all the hours on the road, driving dogs here and there.
Whatever the case is, I have to admit that I am annoyed and I don't get annoyed very often.
So when a rescuer told me she didn't think I was a "quality dog owner", well not quality enough to associate with her, it definitely tipped the scales towards annoyance.
I tend to get annoyed when I am good enough to cash in my donations but not good enough to associate with.
But then I had to back up and take a look at things. And realize how silly we can be sometimes. I really hate it when people get all righteous on me, that's the bottom line. It seems they spend a lot of energy fighting amongst the troops and losing the war.
I try to be tolerant when I hear things that make me go "hmmm" coming from people that on the whole seem to be trying to do good things. You know, maybe they had to return dogs to the shelter for being aggressive, or maybe they had reasons to not seek immediate vet care...who am I to judge? I just figure, I'm not them.
I sort of expect the same things in return...you know, tolerance and all that. But then I have my own ideas about happy homes for dogs. Mine don't know what a crate is. Domino and Charm would be slightly shocked if exercise involved being let out in a yard, they like to go places. They would be solemnly disappointed if dry kibble was the main course for dinner. They would be depressed if the bags I unpacked after shopping didn't include something for them.
Its true, they're spoiled. They deserve to be. They were unwanted and they deserve a happy life.
And happiness to them is dog school, running in the woods, swimming and rolling in the mud and even the showers they get when they come home. (Thank goodness for that shower command!)
Summer, winter, spring and fall, it's what will make these critters happy?
Of course its not just about them, there's lots of animals that need some happiness and it is a great blessing to always be helping one more to a forever home. It does take a village and all of us can do more than we do.
Working together down different paths towards the same goals. There are some that reach higher.
All of us struggle to reach those goals.
The important thing is to keep reaching.
Even after you have reached your goal there is always something more to be done.
But back to annoyance...you always need to be on the look out for those who would take your measure without taking their own.
Things viewed through the lens of righteousness are always flawed.
The subjectivity is always twisted.
In the end, the world moves on, and words are no more significant than a bird's song.
At least I know that there is one place in the world that pit gators roam free.
And even annoyance splinters like the reflections on the lake.
And I must concede that if self-importance is valuable to a person, then that is not much of an annoyance to me personally.
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