Stop Fighting Like Cats and Dogs by Shrien Dewani

By: Shrien Dewani

“Stop fighting like cats and dogs,” was a phrase frequently said in my household back in the 80s.

There were three of us – my brother, my sister and I – and we enjoyed annoying each other!

Fast forward 30 years and it is those same individuals who fought like cats and dogs, who now fight for each other. Life has thrown us a number of challenges, but with those challenges have come valuable lessons. Lessons that we are grateful God gave us the opportunity to learn from, as they have enriched our time in this world.

In the face of adversity, support always seems to come from the corner of your universe that you least expect it. In the wild dogs see cats as prey. Cats see dogs as a threat.  A fight may well ensue.

The trigger for the fight is however the perception of both. It is the perception of the cat that the dog is a threat that leads it to attack – often before the dog.

One of the valuable life lessons that I have been taught is to take a step back; to evaluate the actual risk rather than act on the perceived one. On more than one occasion, that process has resulted in creating a valuable ally, rather than a fierce opponent.