Looking out my kitchen window just now I watched Pixie and Joy, the small dogs that live next door to me, running around outside; tongues out, panting and their little tails wagging as fast as their little legs were moving. Having their pen expanded this past weekend has given them a lot more room to frolic in. The funny thing is, Joy was running with great abandon, from one end of the pen to the other enjoying her new found space. Pixie however, didn’t venture past the old fence line. She stayed behind the tufts of grass that had grown along her former boundary. For a moment, she stepped tentatively over the grass and almost immediately hopped back to the area she was familiar with despite seeing Joy having a grand time in their new expanse.
Oh how like Pixie I am! Here it is, time for me to explore new territory but I’m so afraid to step out of my familiar confines of life even though I know there may be exciting opportunities waiting for me. What holds me back? Probably the same things that are holding Pixie back. She must face the unfamiliar sounds and smells of new dogs who are closer to the enlarged yard area just as I, while exploring new possibilities, may have to meet and interact with people I don’t know, something that makes me extremely nervous! Pixie and I both seem to find change intimidating. We’re more at ease with what we are accustomed to. Stepping over the mound of grass is risky for Pix and stepping outside my comfort zone, putting myself out there, sets me up for a chance to falter or worse yet, fail. Finally, the first step is always the hardest, whether it’s a leap for a small pup to enter new play ground or this ole gal taking a walk on the wild side of trying something new, getting started is the biggest hurdle to reaching the other side.
Pixie will come to enjoy her wide open space sooner rather than later. The question is will I follow suit? Will I approach the boundaries I have set for myself in the past, pause, wag my tail, and take a leap of faith into new regions of life? It may take me a few tries, but I hope I’m about ready to discover a place for myself with a little more room to frolic!
