Since the time change this past weekend, I have made a conscious effort to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Fortunately, the weather has cooperated. Kris and I get home from work, gather the dogs and the leashes, and head to the park for a nice pre-dinner walk.
Jen and Bella
On Tuesday evening, I had an unexpected conversation. We were on the dock, near the edge of the lake. A young boy, probably about seven years old, rode up on his scooter.
“Can I pet your dog?” he asked politely.
“Sure, she would love it.”
“What is her name?”
“This is Jen, and that is Bella over there.” I pointed towards Kris who was wrangling Bella away from the geese in the lake.
“My dog died the other day. She had cancer.” He said it so matter-of-fact, with the slightest edge of emotion. He looked up at me.
“Oh, I am so sorry to hear that,” I said. He looked away, like he was about to cry.
“Petting your dog makes me happy. She is nice.” He scratched behind Jen’s ear.
“She is a sweet girl.”
“Thank you. Have a nice day. You too, Jen.” He gave a quick smile and got back on the scooter.
He left just as quickly as he had come. However, the simplicity and the substance of the conversation stuck with me. The ten to fifteen seconds were enough to make me realize how precious life and companionship are. They were also enough to put a smile on a little boy’s face.
I gave Jen a little squeeze as we ran to catch up with Kris and Bella.
Oh my gosh…..kids are so blunt sometimes. All the neighborhood kids love to pet the boys when i take them out. There is one little girl who will (and has!) stood there for 1/2 hr petting Tucker. They are just so cute!
your puppies probably helped that little guy!!! seriously! when my kitty, duffy, died of cancer a few years back, i came across this sweetie pie outdoor kitty and hung out with him for a few minutes and it was like he was telling me, “there there, duffy’s ok” i got up and walked into my apt and looked at pounds for new kitties. it was like he reminded me how much i missed a furry person to welcome me home. this little boy will remember your puppy, probably.
btw, your puppies are precious!!!
It is these little interactions that reinforce that we are all in this world together. Adults so often don’t reach out to one another, but kids don’t have all that baggage.
You have a beautiful spirit, Lolly.
That is a sweet story…and sad.
A hurting little kid. I’m glad you and Jen were there for him.
Thanks for sharing that, Lauren. Poor kid.
What a wonderful story. We lost one of our dogs last week and my son (he’s 6) found comfort in petting and snuggling with any dog he could find. I’m glad that you and Jen were there for that little boy.
Hopefully the little boy will soon have another dog to give his love to…what a hard lesson for a kid. Your kindness was very comforting to him, surely.
There is such beauty and simplicity and warmth in your short story. Thanks for sharing it.
(Side note: we pick up our puppy on Saturday. I’m so excited!)
Children are amazing in their ability to cope with grief. We lost a dog last week too and our kids have been giving so much love to the other dog in order to cope. Good for you for giving him what he needed while he’s working through everything.
Aww, that’s so touching. I’m glad you guys were there for the little boy to run into. What a sweet story- thank you so much for sharing!
beautiful post…
sob =( We lost a dog to cancer, too, a few years ago. Poor kid, I’m glad he got some happiness out of petting yours, thanks for sharing. =)
That made me a little weepy. What a bitter sweet story.
I think you made that little boy’s day—and it was so good of you to be so laid-back and casual about it for him. He really needed that, and I’m so glad you were at the right place at the right time!
What a touching story. It made me tear up a bit! I’m glad Jen could make that little boy smile; losing a pet is so traumatic, especially for a child. So sweet.
Dogs are the best medicine!
That is a touching and sweet conversation. Kids just get it.
That’s so sad, but so nice that you were there to spread a little happiness. What a sweet kid.
Wow. Thanks for sharing that, Lauren.
Thank you for sharing that story. There has been a lot of bad news surrounding the people I love lately, and it was nice to hear something so sweet.
That is so sweet! Looks like you were in the right place at the right time to make the little guy happy, and that is a wonderful thing. It brought a smile to my face. Thanks so much for sharing that.
Dogs — is there anything they can’t do???
That’s great that your dogs were able to provide a little comfort! Great picture of them, too!
Kids are amazing. Thanks for sharing that ephemeral but oh-so-special moment with us.
Wow.
You made me cry! So sweet.
You’ve certainly hit it on the head. When out running, I always stop to ask to pet the big friendly dogs. My golden retriever died a million years ago, but I still miss him. Your dogs would certainly make me stop.
Aww. I love my dog, a lot. I’ll give her extra love when I get home.
It sounds like this was a bit of synchronicity – like both you and the boy were supposed to get something out of your meeting.
Jen and Bella’s bandannas seem to indicate that they’re in opposing gangs…
Lolly,
I have never commented before on your site, but I have been reading your blog for a year or so. Thanks for sharing this moment in your day. The fact that this boy touched your heart shows that you have a gentle soul.
I thought for sure I was going to loose our pal Rudy this week she was very sick.. but she has pulled through It was not without a lot of tears on my part!! (seems I like her alot more than I thought..)
This story was so beautiful! Sometimes I feel like we are sent little moments like this to help us to learn about life and be thankful for what we have. I teach a kids knitting class at a yarn store and I have a nine-year-old student whose mom has cancer. She just told me matter-of-factly one day, just like the boy in your story. She is the sweetest little girl – you would never be able to tell there was something that traumatic going on in her life. I was so amazed by her strength. It made me think a lot about grief and the ways that we deal with it. Children can teach us so much, if we’re willing to listen.
Awww. That’s a beautiful story. Puppy compassion is one of the best therapies going.
That is the sweetest conversation. We had to put our wee pet down just last night, it was so surreal. Hold on tight to your pups. : )
Kids have a wonderful way of doing that.
I love you!
How wonderful that you and Kris were there for him to enjoy Jen just at the right moment. I hope that his parents let him adopt a new dog soon. What a hard thing to experience at such a young age, the loss of his best friend.
Wow, that makes my throat close up and my eyes well up!
Oh Lolly, I teared up at work just reading this. What a poignant conversation with a stranger…and so young.
I will go home right away and nuzzle my dog and kitties!
Thank you so much for sharing that. That is the sweetest thing I’ve heard in a very, very long time.
bless his sweet little heart. Your story brought a tear to my eye.
What a sweet story. I gave my Sophie a little squeeze. At 10.5 – I’m making an effort to make sure I enjoy every quality moment.
That is lovely, no other way to describe it.
Poor baby. Children can be so open and honest that it cuts right to the heart of things.
Poor boy – that is so nice he was able to reach out to you and your dog.
It’s amazing how bonded you are with pets.
That’s a really touching story, Lolly. I love when we get the opportunity to brighten someone’s day.
how is it that the little conversations with strangers mean so much?
What a touching story..man..I don’t even really know what to say. What can you say? Life is, indeed, precious.