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I recently read a funny meme. It was something along the lines of, “there are some people who should never have met my dog.” That might even be the exact wording, but I’m not quite sure.

I thought it was a funny post. I even considered reposting it. I thought about being cute and crossing out “dog” and replacing it with “dogs” (because I have four), or changing it to something like, “there are just some people who will never meet my dog, or dogs,” or maybe even, “there are just some people who will never meet my dog, or dogs, again,” because, well…

Listen, I know there are some people who simply do not deserve to be around any living creature due to their decision to treat an innocent being inhumanely. Let me be very clear on that point. Any unkind or abusive treatment is an obvious red flag, a scarlet letter forever emblazoned on a person’s chest, and that’s right, that person will never, ever be around your dogs, or my dogs, nor should they be around any other dogs or innocent beings.

So yes, there is at least one possible exception to the should never meet my dogs scenario. But was the concept behind the post, while produced in jest, further perpetuating negative thinking, energy and creating disharmony?

And then I got to thinking…

Why would there even be a person, or people, in an individual’s life who should never have met a person’s dog, or dogs, or never have the chance to meet a person’s dog in the future, or never have the opportunity to see them again? Yup, that’s a rhetorical question. You and I both have our own answers to our whys.

In normal Jess-fashion, I contemplated, reflected, and personalized the thought to better empathize with a person who holds such strong sentiments, and even take a moment to better empathize with myself.

I reverted back to when I was able to tangibly embrace my passion (that’s 4 years old). Talk about a lot of years, and a lot of memories, and a lot of “stuff” to sift through. Memories, moments, and faces– the flickers of my mental time capsule, going at Mach speed.  And with each face, memory, and moment, there were a few, not many, which did include people who, for all intents and purposes, were/are tied up in that silly little meme I referenced at the beginning of my post.

[Enter Thinking]

Ironically enough, the people who, in theory, should never have met my dogs, are the very people who, at the time, probably needed to meet my dogs the most. There are probably people I have yet to meet, who need to meet my dogs. There might even be people who have met my dogs, who really do need to meet them again. I am not quite sure how I feel about coming to such a realization. We fear the unknown right? Or is it that we fear the known?

A Transformative Impression

Dogs have a unique way of touching lives and teaching valuable lessons through their ability to bring joy, companionship, and help others become more patient, empathic, and responsible (Maricevic, 2022). Meeting another person’s dog can be a transformative experience for some individuals, even if they have had limited exposure to dogs or pets in general. It’s also possible that emotional competency development can happen without directly interacting with a person’s dog (Maricevic, 2022). It can also happen for a person who observes others interact with their furry family member.

Yes, that means when one person is able to witness (1) how another interacts with a dog, (2) how one person can love another being other than themselves or (3) a demonstration of reciprocal and unconditional love in return, those observations alone have the potential to leave a positive impression on a person’s psyche (Maricevic, 2022). Not just any impression, a transformative impression; an impression for the better.

Interacting either directly or indirectly with a dog can model what it looks and feels like to give and receive unconditional love, how to develop trust, embrace responsibilities, and the importance of living in the present moment (Maricevic, 2022). Such observations can also provide an opportunity for empathic growth, as others learn to understand the needs and behaviors of the do, in turn strengthens a person’s ability to develop and form bonds over time with humans and dogs (Maricevic, 2022).

Let’s not forget, dogs are known to have a positive impact on mental health, reducing stress and anxiety. For people who may be struggling emotionally or socially, a dog could provide a source of comfort, support, and a means for connecting with others during moments when feeling isolated, or even ostracized from the world. Dogs serve as a bridge for connectivity, helping to establish, solidify, and even mend relationships.

Got Hope?

At first thought, there might be people who come to mind who should never have met a person’s dog, or never will get the chance to meet a person’s dog, or those who will never have the chance to meet a person’s dog again. Now, minus the aforementioned exception, I challenge that initial thinking. In fact, I propose those should never or will never statements, shift to maybe one day statements.

If one is to change from a never mindset, to a maybe mindset, does that potentiality provide more space for positive thoughts, and less negativity? Does a change from a never mindset, to a maybe mindset create a space for an unexpected connection, a misunderstanding understood, a missed connection redirected, or serendipitous happenstance?

Admittedly, a change in mindset may never bring a moment to reality, and even if it does present itself, the moment might be fleeting or the opportunity anticlimactic. Those maybes may never happen at all. Even so, if there exists an opportunity for personal growth and positive experiences, and that opportunity starts within the individual themselves through self-empowerment and self-actualization, and there is no harm being done to oneself physically or emotionally, no harm being done to another person physically or emotionally, and no harm done to any person’s dog or dogs, then perhaps it’s worthwhile in the long run?

Perhaps, at least start with a shift in mindset. Perhaps be open to the maybe?

Maybe, one day [fill in the blank}.

Easier said than done, you say?

Maybe.

But I figure, on this rainy summer’s day, it’s worth a try. Chalk it up to needing some Vitamin D, being over all this rain, or an exercise in strength conditioning…. ’tis the season to bulk up the mental and emotional fortitude needed for the time when the radiant rays of sunshine give way to crisp fall days.

No shouldas, wouldas, couldas.

I got hope.

I’m going to give it a try.