This post is part of my cornerstone content, written years ago, updated for today, and still inspiring wisdom and deep understanding.
Grace (noun) Simple elegance or refinement of movement. (verb) To honor or credit to someone or something’s presence.
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I was out walking Tootsie the other day, and on the inside corner of an S-turn I had a test of grace.
We’d been walking for about 20 minutes of our hour-long walk when it happened. We were on the inside corner of the S-turn, which was also a pretty steep hill. There was a car coming up the road from behind us, a lady trying to back out of her drive-way across from us, three cars coming towards us, and a garbage truck bringing up the rear, completely blind to all of this traffic.
Being a dog and completely oblivious to the embarrassment factor, Tootsie decided this would be the perfect place and time to poop. So, of course, that’s exactly what she did.
Stuck in the middle
So here we are in the middle of all this traffic. I’m standing in someone’s yard, on the side of a hill, watching my dog squat to poop while everyone around us watches from their cars. The lady across from us finally backs out of her drive-way and leaves allowing the car from behind us to make their way past. The other three cars slowly make their way up the hill toward us.
Right in the middle of all this, my friend, Dave (a comedian) calls my cell phone so I answer and tell him “Dude! I’ll call you back in a few minutes with a story you’re just gonna LOVE!!”
The garbage truck stops next to us, so the guy in the back can empty garbage cans. Now I’m looking at the driver eye to eye, a young guy no older than 25. He smiles and asks how I’m doing, and I answer back, “Great, thanks.” By now, Tootsie has finished doing her business, so I take out a little plastic bag and, while thanking her for this lovely experience, bend down to clean up her mess.
Grateful for grace
As we walked, I thought about how differently I’d have handled this situation 30 years ago. Back then, I’d have been absolutely mortified and angry that she embarrassed me in front of all these people. More than likely, I’d have scolded her and acted like a jerk, looking like an even bigger jerk in the process! Now, after thirty years of experience, it’s just a funny story and fodder for a blog post.
“Life makes fools of all of us sooner or later. But keep your sense of humor, and you’ll be able to take your humiliations with some measure of grace. In the end, you know, it’s our own expectations that crush us.”
Paul Murray
I’m so grateful for my old dog and the lessons of grace she taught me over the years, and especially the wisdom to laugh and let it go whenever I can.
So what do you think, my friendly blog reader?
How would you have reacted?
Do you have any stories like this?
I’d love to read about it in the comments below!
xoxo Pam