Parables of Maggie: Your Life can Change in a Flash

[This is one of a series of “Parables” based on the life of our pup Maggie.]

Maggie’s Story

Before we begin the story, I’ve gotta warn you. This isn’t a funny story. It’s kind of sad, especially if you forget how the whole story ends. (Well, not really ends, ’cause it’s still going on.) So, if you catch yourself getting all sad while reading this story, remember I’m a VERY happy dog these days. Things worked out just fine for me. OK. Here we go.

The details of all of this are kind of fuzzy. It happened a long time ago, and I was a little pup. Here’s what I remember. My owner got me in the car. (I hate cars now, you’ll see why in a minute). We drove around for a while, don’t remember how long. Then we stopped. I got out of the car, and my owner drove off. DROVE OFF. Left me all by myself. Remember, I was a really little pup. Less than a year old I think. I had no idea what to do. I was scared and all alone and someplace strange. Later they told me it was in North St. Louis, which sometimes isn’t such a nice place. I ran around. Looking for somebody or something I recognized. Nothing. I barked. I whined. I ran to no place in particular. Did I mention I was really, really scared?

Eventually, I thought to myself “Maggie, I’m not sure why, but your on your own now. Time to suck it up and figure out what to do.”

I figured I better find someplace to hide and spend the night. So, I found this old building that didn’t have anyone in it. I sniffed around and checked it out. I didn’t smell any other dogs or any recent people smells, so I figured I could claim it for my own. I found a dark corner that I thought I could defend if I needed to and settled in. All alone, on my own. Not the best situation for a little pup.

But you know what? I survived. Sure, I had to eat bugs (I’m an excellent bug hunter. I can actually hear the little morsels running around and know exactly when to pounce). I ate other stuff you might find gross. When you’re as hungry as I was you’d be surprised what you’ll eat. I had to scare off other dogs, some of them bigger than me. I had to keep a really close eye on everything. But I SURVIVED.

There were some times I thought I wouldn’t, like when the storms were really bad. But I made it. It was a combination of determination, a little kindness from people who threw me scraps and maybe a little luck, but I survived. I’m still here. Frankly, I’m not sure exactly how I survived. All I know is I did what I had to do. Things looked bad, but I made it and now I have a good Mom and Daddy, and a fun big brother and a kitty uncle who really likes me (although he pretends not to sometimes) and lots of toys and lots of treats and breakfast AND dinner EVERY DAY and … OK, calm down, calm down Maggie. (Sometimes I get over-stimulated when I think about how great things turned out.) Life started our rough for me, but it turned out just fine. I’m a very happy, well-loved pup!

Oh, I almost forgot. You might need a dog. We’re a lot of fun to have around, plus we’ll protect your stuff when you’re gone and we’ll protect you when you’re home. If you want a dog, please think about going to a shelter and adopting a homeless pup. Save a life and you’ll get BIG rewards. Trust me on this one.

The Lesson: You can Survive

What are the chances a little dog like Maggie can survive on her own? When the rescue people picked her up, her collar was actually starting to choke her; she’d been a stray long enough to grow out of her collar. Of course, we don’t know how long she was alone, but it must have been weeks, if not months. Put bluntly, her early life sucked. (Then to top it off, when she was rescued a vet spayed her, only to find out she was already spayed. Dumped, then unnecessary surgery. Real nice.)

Maggie survived because she had to. We have no idea what gave her the strength to make it, but somehow God gave her what she needed to survive. Maggie was stronger than she thought and you are too. Virtually everyone has an inner core of strength that often goes untapped. Here are some ways you can find and use your inner strength.

Affirm your positive qualities: When you feel hopeless, take some time to affirm your positive qualities, even if they seem minor. Maybe you make a mean omelet. Maybe you’re nice to stray cats. Maybe you don’t smell bad when you sweat. Whatever. Take a minute, think about your positive qualities, and write them down. Read and add to your list every day. It will only take a few minutes, but this little exercise will remind you that you have many good qualities.

Make an inventory of positive experiences: Sometimes when we face a difficult time, we tend to forget the many positive experiences we’ve had. Think of a positive experience you’ve had. It might be something simple, such as a nice day spent with a friend, or a relaxing day at home. Get out your notebook and write down the experience. Then take a few minutes and try to put yourself back in that moment. Relish the memory. Repeat this daily and over time you’ll realize that you’ve had many, many positive, pleasant experiences. This will help remind you that life is not all trials and tribulations.

Avoid depressing or negative experiences: This might sound trivial, but maybe you should turn off your television, or at least change the channel. Don’t watch depressing shows, such as the news. If you catch yourself watching something that’s making you feel worse, change the channel or pick up an uplifting book. Whatever you do, don’t listen to depressing music. (This means NO KANSAS. Do you really need to listen to “Dust in the Wind?”) If there are people in your life that exude negativity, avoid them if you can, tune them out if you can’t.

Make a positive change: When we’re facing a trial, it’s easy to feel like nothing is going right. To counter that feeling, try to make one positive change in your life each week. This can be almost anything. Start walking each day, even if it’s only a block to start with. Read a few pages of a good book each day. Eat some veggies. Think about these small changes as building your inner strength “muscles.”

Uncover (or discover) your inner light: Maya Angelou once said “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” You can’t control the actions of others. You can’t really control what others think about you (although you can influence this to some extent.) You CAN control how you view yourself. We all have an inner light; that goodness that makes you special. Let your inner light shine through.

End each day on a positive note: When you sleep, your subconscious is sending you messages, lots of messages. Before you go to sleep each day, reflect on some positive aspect of your day or of your life, however small. Spend some time focusing on this positive “thing.” Close your eyes and really focus on the positive. Fill your head with positive thoughts. I know this may sound a bit new-age-ish, but I think it works. Focusing your mind on the positives in your life right before you go to sleep will give your subconscious an easier way to send you positive messages as you sleep. Just try it. You’ll see.

Control what you can, but realize you can’t control everything: You’ll hear this basic concept elsewhere in this book, but it’s particularly important when finding your inner strength. Marcus Aurelius said it well, “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

Much of the above relates to this very concept, controlling your own thoughts. Feelings of weakness stem from feelings of helplessness. When you feel helpless, turn to your inner strength. Learn to tune out the negative thoughts and messages and learn to tune into positive, productive thoughts and you can get through almost anything. Somehow Maggie tapped her inner canine strength. You can too. Learn to bring forth your inner strength and you will not only survive, you will thrive.