New Year Night

New friends, new lights....

There were three little fluffy dogs staying at the whare we were visiting over the New Year. We heard them before we saw them. The tiny things were making an almighty racket and their barks were surprisingly deep for such small creatures.

Our small boy was immediately afraid. Each booming bark made him jump and his eyes widened in fear. Despite every reassurance he was in a freeze response.

But still, there was something in him I recognised, his desire to connect, to try...

We all got down low in front of the dogs. We held our hands open, palms up in front of them. And our boys whispered to them “It’s OK. Do you want to be friends?”

Even as he reached out, I could see my son’s little hand shake, but he still persisted. “I won’t hurt you” he said as he looked at me for assurance that the little teeth close to his hands wouldn’t hurt him.

I couldn’t honestly say, given dogs are like any other beast (and that includes us). We are all prone to fear-based attack, to being our worst selves, to biting a kind hand for God knows why.

Eventually the smallest pup ducked under his palm and he turned his hand to give soft ear pats and she leaned into him. His smile lit up his face and soon the other puppies fell into line - accepting cuddles, pats, and offering little licks on the noses of little boys.

There are four dogs in this picture (the biggest one is ours!)

In the final moments before the year ticked from 2023 to 2024 I realised I’d not see the sunset. Our sunsets at home are long and lazy and we watch them sail across the sky for what feels like hours. Here, it was light and then it was dark. There was no warning. But slowly candles and fairy lights began to light up the smiling faces of a bunch of strangers, now friends, sending away the year and welcoming a new one.

The puppies skittled around as we yelled down - TEN, NINE, EIGHT…

And my little boys beamed at me as he rushed to comfort them, fast friends after only a few hours together. Already looking out for each other, making sure everyone was safe, making sure everyone was OK, because it was dark. Making sure everyone could catch the light and be part of this moment together.

How lucky we were that our small fears simply resulted in a new friend. That it was so easy to light the dark…

May we use these fresh new days, these newly born days, to commit to a world that is safe for all of us. A world where the fears are small and easy to overcome, where darkness is surmountable with each of us lighting a way for the other.