Have You Thought About Gentleness?

From Mia Cope

It’s been a while, but I’m circling back around to my series about what I’m thinking. I am presently doing research on a very interesting topic that Roger E. suggested about why dogs don’t fly like birds. But it’s pretty technical so I’m not quite ready to publish it.

So, I asked Daddy what he thought I should write about what I’m thinking about. Just like last time, he came up with one of those esoteric topics. You remember those from school, I bet. The teachers always called them “thought questions.” I don’t remember anyone ever admitting that they liked them. I guess it sort of fits since this post is about what I think.

What do I think about gentleness?

Generally, I’m for it. In fact, I can’t think of a single scenario where I would be against it. There are two main types of gentleness.

One of my favorite kinds is tactile gentleness. You know what that is. A nice soft blanket or bed. A cuddly stuffed animal like my friend, Baby.¹

People like gentle soft things too. Like puppy dogs like me. Evidently Momma and Daddy like soft things because they keep really soft paper in the bathroom. I’m not really sure what it’s for. But my little cousin, Henry, was here last week and we went on tactile gentleness scavenger hunt. And our number one favorite thing was the bathroom paper.

You know, it’s really not as soft as my blanket or bed, but Henry showed me that it had an added quality — a bonus, he said. If you spin the little roll that it’s on, paper spews out making all sorts of patterns and piles. We didn’t get a picture of the masterpiece we created doing this. But I did get this shot of what Daddy calls “reclamation.”

To be truthful, the bathroom paper is much softer in reclamation mode no matter how much Momma and Daddy complain.²

The other type of gentleness is one I know a lot more about. In fact, I have to say that gentleness is one of my greatest traits. I treat others with gentleness.

When Daddy and I are walking and another dog starts barking at me, I don’t respond with vocal gruffness. Instead, I remain quiet and occasionally emit a soothing whine. Very gentle.

And when Daddy and I play with some of my toys and he tries to grab one, I don’t bite. I act like I’m going to. But then I avert my seeming aggression into a nose boop. Nose boops are, for the most part, very gentle. Occasionally, I miscalculate and land a heavier blow. But when I do, I make up to Daddy with an assortment of gentle licks.

Momma is what Daddy calls a champion of gentleness. I’d have to agree. In fact, he could learn some things from Momma.

I’m especially gentle around bed time. Daddy is the first one to get ready for bed. Most nights, I go with him and curl up in my bed while he arranges pillows and blankets. He’ll go in the bathroom for a while, put on his pjs, and get in bed to read. I accept his nice pats and belly rubs. And I stay in place until he finishes reading and turns out the light.

As soon as the room goes dark, I sneak over to the other side of the bed to wait for Momma to come. She is very disappointed if I’m not there for her to deliver her pats and belly rubs. She tells me I am the sweetest girl. So gentle.

I think being gentle is one of the best things that anyone can do. Often, gentleness takes very little effort. In fact, sometimes you can be gentle just by lounging in the carpet and showing off the new scarf you got at the pet parlor.

Gentleness is one of those things that requires some thinking in certain situations. But I find that it is one of the best things I do.

Daddy thinks that the world would be better if everyone was gentle like me. Let’s be honest. Good and gentle people and animals are often that way because someone was gentle with them. I’m a product of gentle beings and most of you are, too.

So when you run across a yappy dog or a person who seems out of sorts, be gentle. You could change their entire life. And you’ll make somebody proud.

1. Another kind of gentle is when the people who make stuffed animals use buttons for eyes and noses — but don’t put them on very well. I promise, I was being gentle when Baby and I were getting to know each other and her buttons disengaged. I very gently spit them on the floor so that Momma could find them. Eyes and nose buttons should probably be installed with a little more vigor.

2. I will admit that you can’t experience the full spinning, cascading effect with the bathroom paper with that little cardboard thingy missing. But it was fun while it lasted.