by Susan Graham
Yesterday at lunch I made a nice salad, with lettuce, beets, onions and a little dressing. While I was chopping things I tossed tidbits to my dogs, who grabbed pieces of lettuce, peelings and an occasional whole radish out of the air.
Last evening I made a salad for supper, and again tossed trimmings to my dogs Lucy (mostly a border collie) and Pepper (mostly a Lab). Before I started cooking the rest of my meal, I took out the trash, leaving the salad in a bowl on the counter. I was back in less than 2 minutes. I noticed bits of salad on the counter and on the floor, with about 2/3 of the salad left in the bowl.
I was not mad. I trained them to like salad trimmings and I enjoy their company. But I did not recognize I created a monster (dogs that love vegetables, including the ones I thought I would have for supper.)
Why am I sharing this with you? Just to remind me (and you) that it's “just life.” Things happen and if any one is at "fault", it is me, because I trained my dogs to love salad fixings.
Does that apply to you too? What have you set up or who have you set up to be dependent on you and expect tidbits (money, housing, cars, emotional support) that you freely gave, but did not expect they would come to “expect” your generosity or take from you when your back was turned for a moment?
This event is a reminder that we have to speak up and create limits, such as pushing the salad bowl to the back of the counter when I leave the room, or telling your adult children that you can no longer pay their mortgage or bail them out of yet another financial crisis. We each need to be more careful about taking care of ourselves, because the government is taking away the social safety nets since we have such a huge deficit.
Have a grand week. Susan