The Dog Days Are Over

       Have you ever had good news and went to share it with people and found yourself in the middle of a lecture or suddenly amongst some “Debbie Downers”?

       Well this happened to me the other day at work. I mean, I see these people everyday, we laugh, we complain, we do business, we go to meetings, we collaborate, we work together, we get through deadlines, etc. So of course I feel comfortable letting them know some good news...Who wouldn’t?

       About a month ago, my boyfriend “J” & I seriously began discussing getting a puppy. We both had the desire to get one, especially me, since I’ve never had a dog before. When we began our search we weren’t quite sure how it would go. But eventually we found a dog we wanted, we found a reputable breeder, picked a color, and eventually found our puppy, Jade.

       Since the only place we could find the color and specific breed we were looking for was all the way in California, Jade would have to be a trooper and be flown over to us. So after dropping the money on her (PayPal comes in handy for these types of transactions), we started preparing for her arrival. And yes, it is strangely similar to preparing for the arrival of a child. We went and bought her food (top of the line), treats, toys, a bed to sleep on, blankets, shampoo, and the list goes on. Everything was in it’s place.

       We decided to not tell anyone about our purchase since we know how some people will give you the “lecture” and the list of precautions. Honestly, we just wanted to make our own decision and not hear much else about it until the deed was done.

       So where was I? ...Oh right, telling my co-workers the good news. Well I was in a meeting at the time where there were several older folks, people married with kids, etc. Let’s just say, I was the youngest of the bunch. As we sat for a few moments waiting on the next topic to discuss, I decided to share my good news with them. 

       “Want to see a picture of the puppy my boyfriend & I are getting?” 

       I showed everyone the most adorable picture, just waiting for their “ooos” and “ahhhs”. I mean, who doesn’t get a soft heart from a cute little puppy picture?! 

       Suddenly I found myself in a tsunami of Negative Nancy’s.

       “Oh well it’s a huge responsibility ya know!”

       “I have 2 kids and a dog and the dog is the worst one to deal with!”

       “Just make sure it doesn’t bite your neighbors or anything like that”

       “I guess you and your boyfriend must be pretty serious for such a commitment?”

       “Oh, to be young and naive” 

       I sat there stupefied. I was completely not ready for the line of fire I just received. They just answered me like I told them I just turned 18 and I was adopting a terminally ill child from Ethiopia and then off to get married to a 50 year old alcoholic on a whim....I’m 25, I’m in a happy relationship with my boyfriend that I love and live with, and we’re getting a fucking dog. The world will continue to turn. Young and naive? More like young, happy, and getting a dog. 

       I was angered at first. Although I told a lot of people in my department about the dog initially and got a lot of positive feedback and happiness, this small event at this meeting really bugged me. “How could people be so annoying?” “What the hell is their problem?”

       Not only did I stand up for myself, letting them know that their aggravation with their own pet situation is most likely due to their poor training and the dog’s lack of exercise. And that obviously I am aware of the “responsibility” considering I’m not 12 and am fully capable of making a decision on my very own. Also, those with children probably understood the fact that having kids was a “huge responsibility” and that didn’t stop them from having any right?

       It then dawned on me, these people were just somewhat miserable with their own lives and were not even self-aware that they were showing it blatantly with their reaction and comments toward someone else’s good news! I quickly analyzed that someone was having a bad day at work, not happy in their own relationship/marriage, was frustrated with their own pet, or something similar.

       It’s like telling someone the good news that you’re getting married and they answer with “Ohhhh, that marriage thing, just be careful.” Obviously they don’t have a liking for marriage, or are in one they wish they weren’t. Why pay these types of people any mind?

       After my aggravation had subsided, I suddenly found it to be a quite humorous “experiment”. I went around telling anyone who would listen that I was getting this cute adorable little puppy. As I analyzed their reactions, I gained respect only for those being positive in their responses. 

       I learned a valuable lesson: Next time someone rains on your parade of good news, brush it off, knowing that this reaction is just a slight strain of jealousy, unhappiness, a bad day, or simply just their lack of true happiness for others. And I’m not talking about your parents giving you a lecture about what to watch out for in life. I’m talking about telling certain people you know a bit of good news and getting a more than undesirable reply. Misery certainly does love company, so please don’t bother inviting me over.

       Most likely, more than half the people you interact with will be of this nature. And don’t be surprised, sometimes it will be your own friends or even your own family. But you must realize that is not necessarily anything personal and it’s their own problem they have to live with. So next time you give someone some good news, watch their reaction carefully...and also, watch your own reaction when someone tells you something good going on with them! Are you being happy for them?
       Bottom line, I’m in a happy relationship with J, we live in a nice apartment, we got a dog we’ve been wanting and now we have our own little happy “family”. So welcome to my happy parade. And it is continuously marching on...so bring your umbrella, as it will be held rain or shine.