photo by: Amat Martinez Vilà

ITTY-BITTY THINGS 

I confess I get annoyed when folks complain about itty-bitty things.   

This happens regularly on our neighborhood Facebook page.  Neighbors like to air their grievances online.  They fuss about stray cats wandering into their yards.  They're not happy about dogs pooing on their lawns or barking too much.  

Then, there's the complaint that happens every Fourth of July.  The fireworks.  

When neighbors or even adjacent neighborhoods set off fireworks, some people get riled up.  In this case, it's a no-win situation.  It's a national holiday and this is how some people like to celebrate.  I would like to tell the complainers to get over it.

It's a noisy holiday.  Everyone knows there will be fireworks and it's going to be loud for a couple of hours.  Maybe even a few days afterward.  So, I would say to those who get upset to find a way to handle it.  Try to ignore the noise by watching a funny television show or movie.  Wear earplugs to bed.  Or, invest in noise-cancelling headphones.  But don't complain about it.   

Overall, most people use our Facebook page to make announcements about a lost pet, neighborhood social activities, job services, and city news.  But there are a handful of people that need to complain publicly.  It's kind of jarring to read these comments online and it sucks the positivity right out of the air.  

You might be wondering why I don't address the grumbling.  

Oh, my dog ain't in that fight.  Don't get me wrong, I'd love to make suggestions, especially when it comes to animals.  I would say:  Pick up the poo and leave a sign in your yard to ask neighbors to clean up after their pets.  Find out whose dog is barking and have a calm discussion to come up with a solution.  Adapt a kinder attitude towards stray cats—they face the extremes of weather and the hazards and dangers of the neighborhood (speeding cars, coyotes, foxes, and raccoons).  Strays mainly seek food and shelter.

But my ideas would only start an argument.  Besides, complainers don't want a solution.  They just want to let off steam.  When they vent, they think it validates their complaint.  Complaining is fairly common and probably happens at least once a week.  So, I visit our Facebook page less often and I do my best to ignore the bitching.   

Whiners want their voices to be heard.  They're free to do so and our Facebook page is a convenient place to vent.  No one's going to stop them.  But what they fail to realize is their complaining solves nothing.  There are far more important issues to worry about.  And fireworks, loud dogs, dog poo and stray cats are only itty-bitty things. 

 À la prochaine!