Camera Shy

There's a fantastic ice cream place that is a little too close to my home.  A friendly dog patrols the grounds, greeting customers with a friendly tail wag.  He's completely well-behaved and keeps his distance unless invited for a pat on the head or maybe a tiny bit of cone.

The owner said that every time she pulls out her camera, her dog shies away and hides.  And as soon as I snapped this picture with my phone, he eyed me with great suspicion and walked away when I tried to take a second photo.

Dogs hate paparazzi.

While I like attention, I also like my privacy.  It's hard to know where this line is with other people.  When do we share more about ourselves with people we've just met?  When do we respect their privacy?

This is something I try to discern carefully with kennel clients.  There's a fine line between showing friendliness and being nosy.  I try the "are you going somewhere fun?" question and hope the answer is not that they are heading to a funeral. 

Inevitably, I make mistakes.  And you make mistakes.  We must be patient with each other, and suppose that a person doesn't intend to be offensive if they step on our toes a bit.

When I mess up and fear I've offended someone, I ask God to take care of it.  Often there is not much I can do to repair a foolish remark.  God's wisdom and forgiveness, along with his supernatural restoration, are something I value daily!

What about you?  Have you ever sputtered out some comment that you wish you could take back?  Does your dog like its picture taken?