Truth or Fair: The Tale of the Dog

Truth or Fair:  The Tale of the Dog

by Valerie Aubert

Of the things we think, say, or do:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?

I am grateful that Rotary challenges us to the above standards. But it is not always easy.

How do we determine if something is true? Or fair? There are 27 meanings listed in the Old English Dictionary’s entry for the word truth, eight of which are labelled obsolete. Fair can also be defined in multiple ways. Three of the most relevant: 1) Free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; 2) conforming with established standards or rules; 3) Not excessive or extreme.

I remember when I was young (and very disappointed by something that just did not seem right) my father would tell me that life was not always fair. Sometimes it is just a place you ride rides and play games. And as an adult, I have often been challenged to consider reality vs. perception.

Perhaps it takes a particular situation to help us better understand truth and fairness. Most recently for me, it is our second rescue dog, Moose. We wish Moose could talk and tell us his story. We would listen.

We seem to always adopt a challenge. They see us coming. We did not want a puppy – preferred a pup that was housebroken, around 55 pounds, and past the puppy teeth/chewing stage. And while the 3-year-old we brought home was all the above (truth), he was (and still is) a little crazy. All now 6 years and 82 pounds of him. And they “didn’t realize” he had a very high prey drive. We removed 2 large pecan trees due to multiple squirrel casualties.

His foster mom (bless her) said he did not care for men, but eventually trusted her grown son. And while he now trusts my husband and couple of others, he still reacts a tad aggressively. Something in his history must have driven that, yet being surrendered at 2 -1/2, and with us being his fourth home in his first three years, there is so much we will never know. Is it fair to Moose? Definitely not. Nor is it fair to any of us who were not given the whole story and were not prepared to give him the help he needed and deserved. That said we love him unconditionally. He is sweet, affectionate, and the happiest pup on earth. If there are not strangers around. And squirrels? They still are not safe.

In conclusion, perhaps we do not always get what we think we are getting. Could be the information is true and factual, but it is not the whole story. And we can do our part to be fair to all concerned regardless of others.