Thy Neighbor’s Dog

In an honest bit of self-awareness, a man consumed with a constant level of anxiety confronts his struggle head-on during a life-changing moment of clarity. He explains:

“I used to complain a lot. I used to worry a lot. I used to feel frustrated a lot. I used to question my worthwhileness a lot. I used to agonize over my unrealized dreams a lot. But all that began to change through my neighbor’s dog, of all things.

“That puppy was neglected, left tied outside to a leash all the time. Enslaved by a collar at the end of a rope, the frustrated animal cried day and night. Then one day, I saw that the dog was loose. Somehow the leash had broken, but the poor thing just lollygagged around as though it were still tied.

“I thought, ‘This animal gets an opportunity to be free and doesn’t take it. Then it doesn’t deserve to be free.’ Then an inner-voice spoke to me: ‘That’s you. You’re…