Posted by: the warrioress | May 30, 2012

Bigger Bone Syndrome

Dog treats are special types of dog food given...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I like to reward my dogs with a variety of chewy treats, so I guess some might say that they are a little spoiled. At the cost of these canine delicacies, my animals are certainly being cared for with love. What I’ve noticed when I hand out the treats, though, is that each dog is initially oh-so-grateful and appreciative, but this doesn’t last too long.

 
Most of them will begin chewing vigorously, holding the bone, chew stick, or rawhide, between their paws eagerly. This usually lasts all of about three minutes and then pairs of little eyes begin angling about, looking slyly to the right and left to see who has what in his or her mouth. Before you know it, it’s like musical bones!
 
Treats formerly cherished are now abandoned in hopes that one’s next door neighbor will drop theirs, and they do, because they are doing the very same thing! That neighbor’s treat is then scooped up and carted off to a private corner where it can now be enjoyed in quiet bliss…that is, until this strange scenario happens all over again after about fifteen minutes or so.
 
As I watched this phenomenon take place, I began to correlate this with human behavior, noting that we do the very same thing in our lives! How many of us actually appreciate what we’ve got? How many times have we eyed another person’s wife, husband, family, car, home, children, clothes, body, job, wallet, looks, personality, or whatever, with great envy and desire? How often have we silently wondered how what we have stacks up to or compares with what others have? How often do we lust after what someone else has instead of being content and really happy with our own? 
English: envy- 7 deadly sins

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This “grass is always greener” scenario is fairly common for most human beings, I guess, but it is unfortunate. If we are never satisfied with our own home, wallet, family, children, clothes, lives…. we never really get to enjoy anything in the moment, do we? We’re always seeking that bigger bone. We can never just sit and be content and enjoy what we have. We want something that looks better than what we think we’ve got. Ours isn’t “good enough.” It doesn’t measure up. His or hers seems better. Suddenly, as we compare, what we have looks really pathetic and we can see the immeasurable flaws within it, making it all the more ugly or embarrassing. 

There is something to be said for sincerely loving what we’ve got, flaws, imperfections, and all. Whether it be the people in our lives, our particular rag-tag batch of family members in all their imperfect glory, our little car with some age on it, or the standard three bedroom dwelling; why can we not simply love what and whom we’ve been gifted with in our lives and appreciate these for the gifts that they are? How many have so much less?

Nothing is by any means perfect in my life and a lot of people probably have better, but I love what I’ve got; I’m learning to love and appreciate the family and people in my life whom I’ve been gifted with, no matter how any of them compare to others. My life is as it is for a reason. I want to live every moment I have left in this life appreciating what God has given me. It really is good enough and I’m going to cherish all of it.
Related articles

Posted in behavior, family, feelings, God, inspiration, life, Love, people | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

«
»

Responses

  1. kathleencaron's avatar

    Good stuff, I think we don’t like to recognize what a serious and besetting sin jealousy is, which is why “Though shalt not covet” is one of the ten commandments.

    By: kathleencaron on May 30, 2012
    at 9:28 pm

  2. Butch Dean's avatar

    Well said, Warrioress.

    By: Butch Dean on May 31, 2012
    at 8:22 am

  3. […] I like to reward my dogs with a variety of chewy treats, so I guess some might say that they are a little spoiled. At the cost of these canine delicacies, my animals are certainly being cared for with love. What I’ve noticed when I hand out the treats, though, is that each dog is initially oh-so-grateful and appreciative, but this doesn’t last too long.  Most of them will begin chewing vigorously, holding the bone, chew stick, or rawhide, between their paws eagerly. This usually lasts all of about three minutes and then pairs of little eyes begin angling about, looking slyly to the right and left to see who has what in his or her mouth. Before you know it, it’s like musical bones! Treats formerly cherished are now abandoned in hopes that one’s next door neighbor will drop theirs, and they do, because they are doing the very same thing! That neighbor’s treat is then scooped up and carted off to a private corner where it can now be enjoyed in quiet bliss…that is, until this strange scenario happens all over again after about fifteen minutes or so. As I watched this phenomenon take place, I began to correlate thiswith human behavior, noting that we do the very same thing in our lives! How many of us actually appreciate what we’ve got? How many times have we eyed another person’s wife, husband, family, car, home, children, clothes, body, job, wallet, looks, personality, or whatever, with great envy and desire? How often have we silently wondered how what we have stacks up to or compares with what others have? How often do we lust after what someone else has instead of being content and really happy with our own? Read the Rest of the Story Here […]

    By: Bigger Bone Syndrome « 5 G's and a Cup of Joe on May 31, 2012
    at 8:31 am

  4. the warrioress's avatar

    Thanks so much, Joe! God bless you… I appreciate the reblog!

    By: the warrioress on May 31, 2012
    at 12:27 pm

  5. the warrioress's avatar

    Thanks, Butch!

    By: the warrioress on May 31, 2012
    at 12:28 pm

  6. the warrioress's avatar

    Yes, coveting and envying are the same thing, aren’t they? That hadn’t occurred to me, but yes, God really hates it when we do this. Wonderful point, thank you, Kathleen!

    By: the warrioress on May 31, 2012
    at 12:29 pm


Leave a comment

Categories