Things My Dog Taught Me: Don’t Hold A Grudge

  Posted on September 16, 2011  by Joy of Living  No comments

There are so many things we could learn from our pets that I could go on with this series forever, but I’m going to stop after this third installment.  Have you ever held a grudge against someone for a perceived wrong done to you, only to find that other person has moved on and is doing fine?  If you think about it, does the grudge really serve any purpose?  Not really, what’s done is done and can’t be replayed, so doesn’t seem to waste time dwelling on it, right?

Well, once again, our pets are so much smarter about this than we humans.  Pets don’t hold grudges, at least not for more than a few minutes or maybe a day at the most because we’ve left them behind while we were gone.  Dogs live in the present, they don’t waste time on the past, or worry constantly about what might happen in the future.  Sometimes it seems that pets should hold a grudge, especially against a person that’s abusing them.  But, cool beings that they are, pets still care for those they think will take care of them.

You’ll breathe easier once you let the bad feelings tied to the grudge go. Chronic anger has been linked to a decline in lung function, while forgiveness contributes to lower blood pressure and reduced anxiety. People who forgive also tend to have higher self-esteem.

So take it from your wise canine buddy, let the grudge go…….you’ll feel so much better as a result!

What has your dog taught you?