Comfort Zones

Sonya used to sleep on the bed with Daddy while Mommy took her prolonged nightly soak.  Then Mommy would grab a nice chunk of treat, lure sweet doggie into her roomy crate, and latch the door.  But a week ago, when Mommy was finally ready for bed, she discovered that Sonya had deserted Daddy and was already asleep in the crate.  All that Mommy still had to do was latch it.  After a week of this, Mommy asked herself why the heck she was bothering to lock the crate--so last night she didn't.  And Sonya remained sprawled and snoring in the crate at night long.  Obviously, having slept in it for seven months, she regards it as her own private boudoir.  It's her nest, her comfort zone.

We wonder why people who have been abused stay with their abusers, why Jaycee Dugard didn't take advantage of opportunities to escape Phillip Garrido.  But, like Sonya, Jaycee and her sisters have been trained to their crates, their comfort zones.

We're all like that in one way or another.