I was on the road the other week up in Canada. I was scanning the radio trying to find something to listen to, to pass the time. The needle stopped on a talk station and before I could move it on something caught my attention.
It was a story of two young boys that were best of friends. One day these friends had a big fight, each telling the other they never wanted to play with the other again. The next day the one boy got ready to go out the door. His mother asked where he was going. The reply was to go play with his friend. His mother said she thought they hated each other and were never going to play again. The young boy looked away uncomfortably and after a brief hesitation said, the thing about me and [my friend] is "we are both good forgetters".
The radio faded out at that point and I continued to try to find a station, however, I have been struck by the phrase; a good forgetter.
I keep thinking about how hard our dogs try to please us and how hard we work to build a connection with them. I think of how confused we can make them and how frustrated we can become when they don't understand or we can't seem to get it ourselves. Then I think of the phrase; "Be A Good Forgetter."
Forget the struggles you had yesterday. Forget the things they have done before but are having trouble with today. Forget the mistakes you made yesterday or even just now. Forget it all and live in the moment you and your dog are in right now, work on what presents itself. Work on how you are handling and communicating right now. Work on the amazing things your dogs are doing and the things they are trying to master right now. Practice being a good forgetter so you can be in and enjoy the present moments.
My dogs are always excited to see me no matter how our last training session went, they are a great example of good forgetters. I want to follow their example of forgetting.
The Idea of becoming a good forgetter is going to become a goal of mine in working with my dogs as well as life in general. Life is too short to waist on past struggles, grudges or squabbles. I want to become like my dogs, I want to become; A Good Forgetter!
Love love love this!!!!