Final week, I was taking a long stroll by way of my neighborhood with my Seeing Eye dog, Carson, when we encountered a festival filled with happy kids and a carnival atmosphere. Navigating via wall-to-wall people is normally a challenge, but I decided to brave it and we pressed on, hoping the sidewalk would not be blocked.

Abruptly, Carson darted off the walkway, his nose aimed with an intensity that could only imply there was yet another animal nearby.

Frustrated, I pulled Carson back on track, only to have him get distracted by yet another smell on the opposite side. I was increasing irritated with the crowd and Carson’s behavior till a man behind me chuckled and mentioned, “Your dog is sniffing a llama!” As far as I know, llamas are not indigenous to my neighborhood… nor this continent, for that matter!

The man, nonetheless laughing, continued, “The library is getting a carnival and there is a petting zoo set up all along the street.”


As Carson sniffed a baby donkey, I had a quick moment to feel. At that point, I had two selections I could have gotten angry at the unexpected distractions along my route, OR I could laugh at the pure oddity of a herd of exotic animals hanging out around the library! I chose the latter.

“Carson, that’s a llama,” I mentioned, bending down to recapture his attention, “But do not worry, I will not be receiving one particular as a pet!” I had to just laugh and shake my head in amusement at his sheer puppy behavior! After that laugh, even I could not be annoyed when, ahead of we reached the end of the block, Carson had also sniffed out a goat, a pony and a assortment of other creatures I doubt he’d been exposed to through his brief two years on this planet!

A lesson discovered at the petting zoo: Take a moment to be amused, not frustrated, when issues do not go as planned. If traveling petting zoo look hard enough, you are going to possibly uncover some humor in the adverse encounter, also. A bit of humor lies in each and every circumstance. It is up to us whether we appear upon the whole as a issue or a pleasure. Decide on the pleasure… you may possibly just stroll away with a terrific story!