Winning, Losing, and Sharing

(Note: You know you have a problem when you are laying in bed at 2:30 am and think, I really should write a post about that on my blog!)

You might wonder what these three have in common, and I will get around to making a connection. As I do, I ask that you be patient and let me explain where I am coming from.

Like anyone I would rather win than lose. I grew up in a competitive family, sometimes you won and sometimes you lost. As I got older I learned that you shouldn't rub your competitor's nose in a loss. Thankfully, I also learned the art to losing gracefully. But as I said, I would rather win than lose!

I will also confess that I can be a little stuck in my ways. I guess that happens when you have been on your own for the last 10 years. I have had roommates off and on, and you have to learn to share certain things. However, you always have that place that is just yours. For example, your room. In that room are other things that I don't like to share. My toothbrush is one. (I still have issues from one of the last times I was at my parents' house and found my brother using my tooth brush!) I think that is pretty understandable, but what I have in mind may sound a little unusual. The vast majority of it has to do with the fact that I don't have the habit of sharing this particular item. Hopefully the time will come when that changes, but it isn't an issue right now. (However, that is a whole different issue.)

When I agreed to dog sit for my roommate, I informed her that I wouldn't be sharing this particular item and I meant it. Friday night I was put to the test. Would I win or would I lose? It was late (2 am for those of you who are interested) and I was tired (I mean it was 2 am)! I put the dog's bed in my room and climbed into my own. The test began. The pawing, the crying, and whining. Would I give in? Remember I don't always share well. I held strong, but it continued. No, I wouldn't cave that easy...then it hit me. This could go on for a while. I did cave and shared. I lost, and not gracefully this time. There I was at 3 am, sharing my bed with a Daschund!

Each night after I would try to trick her so I would not have to share. Saturday I was very successful when she feel asleep in her bed (seen above) in the living room. I left the door to my room open in case something went wrong. At 4:30 am she wandered in and again I caved. Sunday and Monday did not go so well and shared the entire night.

You might wonder what are my issues? First, the dog liked to cuddle. Second, she snored. Third, she did not share the bed. On Monday I woke up and she had 3/4 of the bed, while I, the human being, had 1/4 of the bed.

All this made me begin to think what it would be like to be married. It didn't help that several people also asked me this question. I don't have an answer, but I have a feeling I will figure it out. Morning breath has to better than doggie breath!

What does winning, losing, and sharing have in common? They are all part of relationships. (At least they do from this single person's perspective.)