Thinking Out Loud, Volume DXXV

Today the sun is setting in the west. I've learned that it does that quite often, and since my back porch faces east, it's an awesome place to sit late in the evening. As I write this, it's about sundown on a beautiful Sunday evening, with a soft southerly breeze blowing, and guess where I am. You got it! I should be enjoying myself, and I would be except for one factor....there's a disagreement occurring in my back yard. As the man of the house, I guess it's my place to interfere and restore peace, and if there's no resolution to this conflict soon, I intend to do just that. In the meantime, however, I'm learning some life lessons from the standoff, so let me hurry and share them with you so I can get this matter resolved. Here's what's going on. Angie had to run to Brookshire's, and when she returned, she brought Nellie and Fontenot, our two Schnauzers, each a rubber ball. At first they were running and playing with their new toys, having a wonderful time, until Fontenot carelessly walked away from his for a minute. Nellie quickly laid claim to his ball, and she is now standing over it, as well as her own, daring Fontenot to try to get either one of them. Fontenot is standing there barking, wanting his ball back, while Nellie is standing there glaring at him, as if to say, "You try to take this ball and you're dead meat." I'm learning two lessons from this latest episode of "Nellie and Fontenot." Here's the first one: Fontenot is not able to enjoy his new toy, but neither is Nellie. I don't believe greedy people are enjoying life, or even their possessions. They're too busy trying to make sure no one gets what belongs to them while trying to acquire what does not belong to them. Instead of enjoying what they have, they spend all their time and effort trying to accumulate more and more. I knew an older couple who hoarded canned food, much more than they could ever eat, and when they died, they had canned food stacked in every room in their house, to the extreme that it was even on the furniture. They never received any benefit from any of it. I'm of the opinion that generous people enjoy life much more than the greedy. The second thing I've learned: Although the way I've told this story makes Fontenot sound like an innocent victim while Nellie is evil, in reality, I may be giving a false impression of both of them. Nellie is one of the most affectionate dogs I know, and she loves her family, Fontenot included. Fontenot, on the other hand, is an escape artist, to the point to where I'm thinking of hiring experienced prison guards to keep him from getting out of the yard. Both of them are gentle, loving creatures, with flaws. I am a gentle, loving creature with flaws. You are a gentle, loving creature with flaws. If I hate Nellie because of her greed, then it's only fair that you hate me because of my flaws, and someone else hates you because of yours. I tolerate Nellie's greed, while there are flaws in my character that my good friends have to tolerate. Thank God they do!! WHOA!! Fontenot just made his move!!! He grabbed his ball and ran!! Situation resolved. Wait!! The ball he grabbed was Nellie's! I wonder how this is gonna turn out! Preston