Submitted by XP-Nobody

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, though no fault of yours, something goes wrong,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment, 

If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend, you can face the world without lies and deceit, 

If you can conquer tension without medical help, 

If you can relax without liquor, 

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs, 

If you can honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion, gender preference, or politics, 

THEN, you have reached the same level of development as your dog.

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CaliGirl: Now read it again and think about your dog, or someone else's. How much does it change this whole thing?  It changes it drastically.... ;Þ