Article - Show No Dog Fear!

A.47 - SHOW NO FEAR- DOGS WILL NOT HEAR

OR SHOW NO DOGS FEAR.

From The Books Short Takes and The Sequel - Between Us Only - www.majidbooks.com and www.alsuleimany.com


At the age of 8 years old, four decades ago when we were residing in Mafia Island in Tanzania, my father and I met some wild dogs when we were moving about the island.

My late father (died 2 years ago) cautioned me to hold on to his hand 'and show no fear, because dogs easily smell fear'. But if you act brave and show no fear, they either leave you alone or move away'. At first I did not believe this was to be possible, but the dogs did exactly like dad said they would, and left us alone-despite a lot of initial 'hard' barking earlier on.

At times in life one meets with a lot of situations like above when you are called upon to make difficult and hard decisions and choices. Life is full of making choices. One option is to do nothing and pretend that the problem is not there, the other is as is being said 'to catch the bull by its horns' when you have to act.

Sometimes you make decisions in life which at the time may seem right, only to find out later that you should have acted otherwise. Or you leave an option which you think is wrong, only to find out later that it was the better idea and choice. But the saying always holds true-‘those who dare-actually win’! Those who never try, never win’!

Sometimes situations force you to behave in a way that you would not normally behave otherwise. My business assistant always used to caution me, “you are not in PDO (working for someone) now, you are running your own business, always think of your own business first-not your own personal feelings or inclinations control the situation.

This I had found out recently very difficult to pursue, but in the end I did so despite my own personal first inclinations and feelings- ‘the business must always come first’. The lady from the competition side ‘lost’ in the direction that she was trying to
Push me to go. If I had reacted like she thought I would, I would have eventually been the businesses loser, and she the winner.

My late father used to advise me from the incident of the dogs. He used to tell me ‘if you show fear, or run away, the dogs like it more- because you are condescending yourself to their own level-and they will chase you for sure’.

During this difficult choice I had, my late father had come to me in my dreams to remind me of this incident (or was it by telepathy?). The next morning I phoned my assistant and told her the story of my dad and the wild dogs- and how also the advice she kept pushing to me- to follow became true as very good for the business- thank God! But than even here only time will still tell! For the time being, business is brisk and running well.
Written on November 13, 2004