Peace with Texas...

?To get a dog … or to not get a dog, or two … that is the question I ponder at least once (actually more than that), a week. I’m sure at some point I’ll give in to the urge of welcoming a furry companion to the house. While I don’t have dogs of my own, they’ve become a big part of my life and through them, I’ve learned some valuable life lessons.

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My father … all 90-something years of him owns an enormous pit bull named Texas. Texas has to weigh close to 80 pounds – maybe more with a bark that’s bigger than she is. Whenever you ring his doorbell, her voice is the first one you hear. Next comes her menacing face, growling, snarling, barking, peering through the glass front door. It’s the most unwelcoming welcome you could ever imagine.

In years past, he’d usher Texas to the back whenever I’d come by, well aware of my distrust of that particular breed. With his health declining to the point where he can no longer walk her to the back, Texas began staying in the room with us … growling, snarling with that ever-present stare.

One afternoon as he and I … and Texas, sat there talking, I took a chance. I bent down and held my hand out toward Texas, beckoning for her to come to me … confused she took a few steps before finally coming within my reach. I began patting her on the head. About a minute later, I softly tapped her cheeks at which time she smiled as only a dog can. Before long, she had rolled over on her back, eyes closed as I rubbed her stomach. In a span of about 5 minutes, this monster of a dog had melted right before my very eyes.

Nowadays whenever I come home, it’s a different story. Texas still peers through the glass door only now, she runs back and forth like an anxious puppy, unable to contain the excitement she feels from seeing me. There’s no more barking, only soft whimpers of joy. She no longer stands at a distance, she plops right down beside me and for however long I’m there… Texas and I, are inseparable.

I laughed with my father and told him all these years Texas and I have been frowning at each other, archenemies and now, we’re at peace”. He smiled back and says, “She was just waiting on you” …

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There’s something in your life that you’ve been putting off facing out of fear or distrust of what it might do to you. A person, a place, a call you’ve been delaying or a matter that’s been on your mind. Chances are, it’s nowhere near as bad as you think it is so today, take a moment, take a chance, reach out and deal with it.

The peace you’ve been seeking … is waiting on you …