Lessons Learned From Dogs By Bryan Flanagan

Why is man’s best friend used in so many comparisons, put-downs, cliches, and expressions?

It’s a dog-eat-dog world! I’m dog-tired! That dog won’t hunt! I was as sick as a dog! That dirty dog did me wrong! They were the underdogs. Yet we can learn a lot from man’s best friend. For example:

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail and not his tongue!

What a great lesson to learn. Yet, how often do we violate this? We desire to be heard, not to hear. We want others to understand us before we understand them. We talk first and listen second.

Not so for our faithful friend. When you come home, the family dog is there to meet you. He’s wagging his tail, dancing all around, and focusing on you. And he wants nothing in return. He is happy to see you regardless of the kind of day you’ve had…or the kind of day he’s had!

Everyone wants to feel important. Everyone wears a sign that says “Make me feel important.” Dogs understand this. They make us feel important. Dogs focus their full attention on us with no strings attached. Dogs accept us whether we are rich, poor, blonde, bald, left handed, or ambidextrous. Dogs realize people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care…about them. Dogs illustrate this in each encounter.

Remember this valuable lesson: the reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail and not his tongue.

*Courtesy of Bryan Flanagan

* Specific loan program availability and requirements may vary. Please get in touch with your mortgage advisor for more information.