Have the same outlook as Juice!

As most of you know, I am a dog lover.  I really enjoy dogs because they wag their tails and not their tongues.  I have owned several dogs over the years and the dog that I now co-own with my daughter, Esther, is one of the delights of my life.  Our five-pound miniature Yorkie, Beebe, is full of life, love and energy.

However, something unusual is going on in my heart.  I am beginning to like my daughter, Elizabeth's cat whose name is Juice.  Even though I am not much of a cat lover, I have noticed that Juice just will not let me NOT like him!  He is one playful cat. 

Recently I was at my daughter's house and when I started to pick up my coat, Juice held on to it with all of his might.  He acted like it was HIS coat.  Elizabeth told me that everything in Juice's life is a game - he thinks everyone is playing with him no matter what is taking place. 

She went on to explain that when she sweeps the floor, Juice jumps on the broom and plays with it.  Even when she tells him to get off, he thinks that is part of the game as well.  He attacks the furniture duster from every direction possible because he thinks it is the most fun toy in the world.  Juice is totally oblivious to the fact that what is taking place around him is focused work. 

That cat believes people get up every day with the attitude of, "Let's have fun with Juice.  Today is his day to be loved and noticed."  No matter what is going on, he is just happy to be around people and does everything in his power to make life interesting and amusing.

As I have thought about Juice, I have come to realize that he really does have the right perspective on life.  He does not let what is taking place around him control what is taking place inside of him.  His attitude is one of friendship and interaction.  He is not boring at all.  He wants to make life interesting and full of surprises, enthusiasm and excitement. 

Observing Juice has caused me to notice something that is going on in my own heart as well.  Even though I am not much of a cat lover, I find myself being attracted to Juice.  I think it is because I do not want to disappoint the part of him that thinks we are friends.  He keeps reaching out to me in a way that I cannot resist.  He just wants to be buddies.  Regardless of how much I do not notice him, or even go so far as to try to ignore him, he just will not let me.  He keeps coming around with the attitude of, "Hi, I just wanted you to know that I am still here and I really do want to be friends with you."

What if we all had that attitude?  I realize that we cannot irritate people and go out of our way to be a nuisance, but what if we really did not let the way other people treat us affect our daily life?  Suppose that we just had a good, positive, happy outlook on life regardless of what was going on around us?  I know we should not be like an ostrich with our head stuck in the sand, but what if we could just overlook all of the little offenses that take place around us, or even towards us on a daily basis?

Yes, it is becoming more evident to me that I need to be like Juice.  I need to be less focused on what everyone else is doing and more focused on having a good attitude towards people.  No matter what happens, I need to respond with a good positive attitude and with confident interaction.

Isn't it amazing that we can learn so much from our environment if we will just take the time to notice it?  No one is more surprised at what is happening inside of me than I am.  Who would have ever thought I could learn so much from a cat?  Thanks, Juice!  Way to go!

This information is provided in congruence with Personality Insights USA.