Blind Faith or Faith in Blindness?

Hi all!

Today is a pretty day. I just wanted you all to know. And, as with most pretty days I dont work on, I went to the animal shelter to walk the orphan puppies. I go quite often, and know a lot of the dogs there by name, and have fallen in love with more than a few. Everytime I go I fall in love with a new one, and I would bring them all home if it werent for my stubborn parents who refuse to let me adopt one, and the fact that I am in college and dont have the time to devote to a dog, no matter how badly I want to give one a home.

The thing that amazes me though, is the blind faith that the dogs put in you. As soon as you walk down the row of kennels with a leash in your hand, all of the dogs just look at you with such adoration and hope, that you wish you were strong enough to walk all 30-something of them at once. Sadly, you cannot, and have to settle to one at a time. (2, if your really strong, like a certain friend of mine who walked two young mastiff/rott mixes at the same time) So you put them on the leash and take them outside to the walking strip. More often than not, the adorable quiet little pooch that had been giving you puppy eyes placidly in the cage becomes a wild-eyed ball of energy that tries to yank your arm off for the next 1/2 mile. But there are the select few that walk camly by your side. You are their person, and they will follow whereever you lead them.

But, no matter if they are pulling you down the strip, or being the definition of mans best friend, these animals still trust you, because even the wild ones calm down a little bit by the end of the walk. I had a convorsation like this with a friend who is very fond of animals before. Animals, love you unconditionally. They dont judge you, or attempt to put you in a box based on character traits or personality. They just like you for you. plain and simple. Blind Faith.

So with so much going on in the world, I start to wonder about the things people put their faith into, wether or not its grounded in actual legitimacy, or whether it is just faith in blindness. Unlike animals, humans rarely just put their blind faith in something. We take an instance, put it on a pedistal, look at it, analyze it, chew it apart, turn it around, and put it in a box we feel comfortable with. But not everyone. I feel as if many people today just close their eyes, stick out their hand, and let the masses grab them and pull them along, not really knowing or caring where they are going. Their eyes are closed, and they are secure in the knowledge that they are going in a direction without having the inconvinence of worrying about getting lost getting to the end. It is impossible to get lost if you dont know where you're going in the first place. Not that I can blame them, persay. I would be lying if I said there weren't times I wished I could just close my eyes and fall, instead of making a descision, having complete faith in my blindness and dealing with where it would lead me.

But, that is no way to live a life, according to my personal standards, which, I will admit, are not for everyone. I just think that people should be completley aware of the desicions that they make, because I also believe that there is not a single choice you can make in life that affects you and you alone. This is why I encourage everyone to think about their actions and choices. I am not saying to turn everything into a mental battle against yourself that you can never win, but be consious of what you are doing in life. Have a little less faith in blindness, and step back into the light where you can see things for what they truely are.

We only have this one life to live here, so doesnt it make sense to be in complete control of it yourself, instead of being controlled? Food for thought.

And go walk Dogs. Its good for you.

:)