I don't care what the date says.

I wonder if we will one day know why we react/behave in certain ways?  I have some nasty behaviors that I would like to change.  For example, our neighbors family member was allowing their dog to do his business on the grass around the walks. I had seen this before and had been irritated by it.  I opened the door and in a very snooty way, asked him to take the dog around the house and not have it pee where my kids play.  His response was humble and polite when he said, "I'm sorry."  I then told him it was fine and I walked in the house.  He seemed genuinely sorry and I would bet he had not thought about it.  It would have been better to go out and very politely request that he take the dog around the house without that irritated tone.  I could then explain that the kids run around there, that I like dogs and even introduce myself and treat him like Jesus would.  Example 2: When I play sports (basketball, frisbee, soccer, etc.) I act like a wiener.  I don't really talk to anyone unless I am mouthing off.  My interactions are brief and cold.  I don't encourage others or thank those who are encouraging.  Ultimately(ha), I don't act like much of a teammate.  I want my children to be like Dave when it comes to sports and not like me...which means that I need to improve things now because their little brains are growing and they observe everything.  I am going to make a goal.  At my Frisbee game next week, I am going to act like Dave, or in other words, be vocal, encourage, learn everybody's name and otherwise fix how I have been acting now since high school.  I am even going to do the gay cheers. (Whether or not I happily participate doesn't mean they aren't gay because they are.)  The other one will have to wait for an opportunity, but hopefully writing about it will help me to do better.  As Michael Stemkowski said, "What ever gave us the crazy idea that to make someone do better first we have to make them feel worse?  People do better when they feel better."