what a gerbil taught me/inspiration

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/6/02 11:17:07 AM, happyvet@... writes:

<< One day, my son brought a gerbil home to live with us. >>

Terrific story. Thanks. >^,^<

Kathleen

Seattle USA

http://icewindow.com

[Guest guest]

One day, my son brought a gerbil home to live with us.We put it in a cage.

Some time later, the gerbil escaped. For the next six months, the animal ran

frightened and wild through the house. So did we – chasing it. " There it is.

Get it! " we'd scream, each time someone spotted the gerbil. I, or my son,

would throw down whatever we were working on, race

across the house, and lunge at the animal hoping to catch it. I worried about

it, even when we didn't see it. " This isn't right, " I'd think. " I can't have a

gerbil running loose in the house. We've got to catch it. We've got to do

something. "

A small animal, the size of a mouse had the entire household in a tizzy. One

day, while sitting in the living room, I watched the animal scurry across the

hallway. In a frenzy, I started to lunge at it, as I usually did, then I

stopped myself. No, I said. I'm all done. If that animal wants to live in the

nooks and crannies of this house, I'm going to let it. I'm done worrying about

it. I'm done chasing it. It's an irregular circumstance, but that's just the

way it's going to have to be. I let the gerbil run past without reacting. I

felt slightly uncomfortable with my new reaction – not reacting – but I stuck

to it anyway. I got more comfortable with my new reaction – not reacting.

Before long, I became downright peaceful with the situation. I had stopped

fighting the gerbil.

One afternoon, only weeks after I started practicing my new

attitude,the gerbil ran by me, as it had so many times, and I barely glanced

at it. The animal stopped in its tracks, turned around, and looked at me. I

started to lunge at it. It started to run away. I relaxed. " Fine, " I said. " Do

what you want. " And I meant it. One hour later, the gerbil came and stood by

me, and waited. I gently picked it up and placed it in its cage, where it has

lived happily ever

since. The moral of the story? Don't lunge at the gerbil. He's already

frightened, and chasing him just scares him more and makes us crazy.

Detachment works.

____________________________________________________________

woof! woof! I'm @dog.com

Get your free @dog e-mail at http://www.dog.com

[Guest guest]

Nice story and moral.

----- Original Message -----

From: " Jane " <happyvet@...>

< >

Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 11:15 AM

Subject: [] what a gerbil taught me/inspiration

One day, my son brought a gerbil home to live with us.We put it in a cage.

Some time later, the gerbil escaped. For the next six months, the animal ran

frightened and wild through the house. So did we - chasing it. " There it is.

Get it! " we'd scream, each time someone spotted the gerbil. I, or my son,

would throw down whatever we were working on, race

across the house, and lunge at the animal hoping to catch it. I worried

about

it, even when we didn't see it. " This isn't right, " I'd think. " I can't have

a

gerbil running loose in the house. We've got to catch it. We've got to do

something. "

A small animal, the size of a mouse had the entire household in a tizzy. One

day, while sitting in the living room, I watched the animal scurry across

the

hallway. In a frenzy, I started to lunge at it, as I usually did, then I

stopped myself. No, I said. I'm all done. If that animal wants to live in

the

nooks and crannies of this house, I'm going to let it. I'm done worrying

about

it. I'm done chasing it. It's an irregular circumstance, but that's just the

way it's going to have to be. I let the gerbil run past without reacting. I

felt slightly uncomfortable with my new reaction - not reacting - but I

stuck

to it anyway. I got more comfortable with my new reaction - not reacting.

Before long, I became downright peaceful with the situation. I had stopped

fighting the gerbil.

One afternoon, only weeks after I started practicing my new

attitude,the gerbil ran by me, as it had so many times, and I barely glanced

at it. The animal stopped in its tracks, turned around, and looked at me. I

started to lunge at it. It started to run away. I relaxed. " Fine, " I said.

" Do

what you want. " And I meant it. One hour later, the gerbil came and stood by

me, and waited. I gently picked it up and placed it in its cage, where it

has

lived happily ever

since. The moral of the story? Don't lunge at the gerbil. He's already

frightened, and chasing him just scares him more and makes us crazy.

Detachment works.

____________________________________________________________

woof! woof! I'm @dog.com

Get your free @dog e-mail at http://www.dog.com

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