Lisa left a great response to my post yesterday, which triggered more thoughts on my part. And it’s got me thinking yet more about why we do the things we do and the boundaries we operate within.

Scaredy-pant Girl

This dog – Blue(bell) – is my scaredy-pant girl, the Chicken-Little type.  But guess what, when she’s doing something she believes she’s supposed to, following the rules if you will, she is noticeably more relaxed, more confident: her tail wags higher.  I feel that in her and it makes *me* feel good watching her.  There’s a spot on our walk to the Little League field where we walk in the middle of the street.  It’s the paved side road into the park and most of the time the main gate is shut, so no traffic, but there is a curb on the right hand side.  Blue always pulls towards the curb because, in her book of rules, that’s where she’s supposed to walk and therefore that’s the safe place to be. Sometimes I let her go there, sometimes I don’t.  I mess with her a little, but only a little because I’m pretty sure the concept of her becoming braver is in my head, not hers.

As much of an adventurer as I have been at times, I mostly follow the rules.  I like following the rules and I’m good at following the rules, and as a result I feel strong when I follow the rules. The irony is I then become strong enough to break them once in a while if I need to.  I think it’s something to do with being fully-informed or fully aware. Maybe that’s what I mean when I say I take calculated risks?

And I think what I really mean by “rules” here is boundaries. How often have you heard phrases like “know your limits” or “Know your boundaries”?  Important words indeed.

Does any of this make sense to you??

P.S. I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge this month – a blog a day if I can.