snowie the tailless

he was, in their dog community, the laughing stock.  he knows the reason why.  he was born without a tail.  that's why they called him snowie the tailless.  he often wondered why.  his father and his mother and his sister have beautiful tails.  he knows there are kinds of dogs that really have short tails but he belongs to the kind that should have beautiful furry tails.

when he was a puppy this did not mean much to him. in fact, he thought, this had made him special and more adorable than his sister.  he enjoyed the attention given him especially by people who could not resist cuddling him  and poking at his behind trying to locate his missing tail.  when he grew up he was surprised that the other dogs are making a big deal out of this.  he still get special attention as he went around but this time he felt this as rather much of a mockery or disdain or pity even.  many of the dogs distanced  themselves from him.  they don't want to be seen in his company.  it's as if his being tailless makes him less of a dog than them.  even his people friends now think that he looks so funny.  he is now a clown to them not the cute puppy he was once before.

yet, he is not sad nor embittered by this.  he knows the Infinite loves him as much as It loves the other dogs.  he believes there is a reason for his being tailless.  he just smiled at those that openly ridiculed him and made fun of him.

now, there is in the neighborhood this other dog. he is big and handsome and has this long hairy tail that he proudly curls up and his brown fur is shiny and he is so strong and he is the envy of the other dogs. i don't know what they call him but he is quite popular. he is actually considered something like a royalty.  this is probably the reason why this dog turned  up to be so egotistical, if i may say so, and a bully.  he is mean and short-tempered.  he always expects other dogs to kowtow to him in meek submission.  thus, whenever he is walking about in the neighborhood, he is always accompanied by other dogs servile to him, and other dogs always scamper to every other direction just so they may not cross paths with him and his coterie.

so there was this instance when snowie the tailless crossed path with handsome dog and his cohorts.  snowie was of course aware of handsome dog's reputation.  he wanted to backtrack as other dogs do.  yet, there was this feeling within him that he does not need to.  he is not in any way interfering with handsome dog's business.  so he proceeded on his way.  handsome dog and his gang were surprised and stunned at snowie's disrespect.  immediately, he snarled at snowie as his gang surrounded him.

"i don't like your show of disrespect," he blurted at snowie in his booming voice, "you should have chosen to turn back!"  he fixed his glaring eyes at snowie knowing full well that this never fails to elicit fear in dog' hearts.

"i'm sorry, sir." answered snowie trying very hard not to show the trepidation welling in him.  instinctively he felt this twitching in his back muscles so that he can tuck in his tail between his legs as a sign of fear. yet, much as his back muscles were voluntarily trying to do so, he can't do it. there was no tail to tuck in between his legs!  so he did this other thing that surprised him as well. he met handsome dog's fierce eyes with his own fixed gaze hoping his eyes will not betray his fear. he steadied his beating heart and composed himself. he masked his fear by contorting his face in a snarl mirroring handsome dog's who's face is within inches away. he can actually feel the hotness of his breath.

"go ahead! turn back!" handsome dog commanded and glared at snowie more fiercely than ever. yet, he saw this dog was not budging an inch. and this dog was actually returning his gaze and his snarl with an equal ferocity.  he looked at snowie's behind. there is a small clump of hair at this dog's back.  he's sure it's sort of a tail but definitely it's not tucked in. this dog does not fear him at all!  doubt crept in his heart.  for the first time, he met a dog that did not cower in fear of him and his  cohorts.  lesser dogs should have tucked their tails between their legs and should have scampered away.  but this one is tough.  this one looks prepared to engage him in a fight if he goes ahead as to lift a paw at him.  this tailless dog does not breath heavily as other scared dogs do.  handsome dog realized he never really experienced any actual dog fights before!  other dogs run away before any actual fight happens.  handsome dog looked at his gang.  they were equally amazed how snowie had stood his ground against their boss.  handsome dog felt a slight twitch of muscle behind him.  much as he willed against it, this twitch somehow made him lose his control of his upright tail and it sagged by his hind legs.  he is experiencing fear for the first time.

"okay, i'll forgive you this time," handsome dog finally said, "but, next time we cross paths again, there will be no mercy.." the way handsome dog muttered this line, it's not actually being said to snowie, he is directing this to his gang, trying to save face.  "let's go!" he boomed and walked past snowie who stood transfixed not wanting to move.  snowie was also more than surprised.  as the other dogs filed past him, they looked at him in admiration.  snowie knows this day will change every thing for him.

yes, i know this is just a dog's tale (pun intended).  yet,  i also know that sometime in our lives we have experienced this. there were times when we have discovered inadequacies in us that eroded our confidence in our selves and in our abilities. 

and yet, like snowie, we need to trust the Infinite and its Love. 

there is a reason for every thing.

we must always remember, there will always be handsome dogs that will come our way, who will bully us and try to strike fear in us, but we must overcome fear and self-doubt,

we must know our real Self,

the real Self will never ever be inadequate.