Last spring, the older couple living in the condo two doors down from me packed up and moved down to Georgia, for the warmer weather I suspect. A young couple and their little son moved into their place a few weeks later. These newcomers seemed warm and friendly – I liked them right away. A month or so after they moved in, I noticed that two older folks came to stay with them, I assume one set of the young boy’s grandparents. While at first I’d thought they were in town for a visit, as the summer months rolled on, I began to suspect they’d moved in (and how the five of them managed in a two-bedroom condo I do not know, but that’s another matter).
I like to take my dog Hudson out several times throughout the day and I immediately noticed that the old man was often out as well, smoking cigarettes. I didn’t love the smell and sometimes I’d find his cigarette butts on the ground. In addition, he would often video chat with people with his phone on speakerphone and the volume turned up all the way. It disrupted the usual quiet that I typically enjoyed.
What can I say, this gentleman and his cigarettes and speakerphone conversations annoyed me!
My dog Hudson on the other hand, seemed to love him. It wasn’t long before Hudson made a habit of running up to him to lick his toes or put his paws up on his legs asking for pets. I could see the man loved Hudson too, and it always made me smile. It became a ritual of sorts.
(Note: this blog could also be about the power of a dog’s unconditional love).
At the end of August, when Hudson and I returned home from a week-long vacation, I noticed the old man was nowhere to be found. The next day, the same thing. As the days went on, I suspected that the grandparents had been in town just for the summer and now had gone back home.
But what surprised me most was my reaction. I felt disappointed … sad even! Despite our differences, I had become attached to this friendly neighbor and our daily rituals.
So, what can I/we learn here?
When we find ourselves feeling *annoyed* with someone or having thoughts like “Why are they doing that?” or “I wish they wouldn’t do that” simply remember that everything is transient. One day they might be gone, and you might find yourself remembering with fondness what once only frustrated you.
So whatever you do, just don’t take your thoughts too seriously, ok? 😉
Thanks for writing about this! So true!