For the last five years two dogs have been kenneled here. Day and night. In the blistering sun and the freezing snow. Now don't get me started on the plight of these dogs because that isn't today's discussion. Today's topic is fear.
Every time I walked past these dogs with Toby and Willow they would bark their heads off. Almost. Sometimes they would bark at just me walking by. I think these poor kenneled creatures were fearful. They were trying to protect their little plot of land. They were trying to control something they had little control over. In return, my dogs would react and try to protect themselves, and me. It would turn into a barking fest. Needless to say, we didn't walk this way very often. Which is a shame because, other than the kenneled dogs, this is a beautiful and peaceful walk.
For the last few times Toby and I have walked past this kennel. No dogs have been in it. It has been peaceful and quiet. Today Toby and I walked up to the kennel. There were no big scary dogs. At first, Toby's hackles went up. He was prepared for a fight. But as he stood there and then sniffed around, he realized there was nothing there to fight and nothing to be afraid of. He stood at the fence and looked for a long time. I think he was sure there was going to be something pop out of the dog houses at any second. But nothing.
Once he was satisfied, he turned around and we walked on our way down the street.
Fear makes us do crazy things. We bark. We lunge. We run away. We put our hackles up. We show our sharp teeth. In an effort to protect.
My greatest fear is to be invisible and useless. When I feel discounted, overlooked, or not heard, my hackles go up. My angry teeth show. I bark. I protect. All in an effort to be heard and not become invisible. What I really am, is hurt. Anger = Fear/hurt. At least in my world.
As I can label my fear, anger and hurt, it disappears. Just like the big scary dogs in the kennel.
I think a lot of people are living in Fear and Hurt. Especially right now. I am.
And I have found that if we can label it and look at it, like the empty kennel, we will find that our fears aren't that big. Or real.
Once he was satisfied, he turned around and we walked on our way down the street.
Fear makes us do crazy things. We bark. We lunge. We run away. We put our hackles up. We show our sharp teeth. In an effort to protect.
My greatest fear is to be invisible and useless. When I feel discounted, overlooked, or not heard, my hackles go up. My angry teeth show. I bark. I protect. All in an effort to be heard and not become invisible. What I really am, is hurt. Anger = Fear/hurt. At least in my world.
As I can label my fear, anger and hurt, it disappears. Just like the big scary dogs in the kennel.
I think a lot of people are living in Fear and Hurt. Especially right now. I am.
And I have found that if we can label it and look at it, like the empty kennel, we will find that our fears aren't that big. Or real.
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