Perspectives

The little boy held the dog’s head in his hands and stared deep into its eyes. The dog looked back wagging his tail, and in his heart he said,

“If I could talk to you what would I say? That I trust you beyond all else, whatever happens? That even when we share crumbs together and I am hungry, I will stay with you because you are my whole world? That on good days when we play my whole being lights up and I cannot think of anything else more pleasurable than to be with you? If you could hear what was in my heart that is what I would say.”

The little boy saw all the love in the world right there in his dog’s eyes and said,

“If you could understand what I say to you, what would I say? That you are the best friend I have always wanted? That I trust you with all my secrets and pain? That I love it when we play and have fun and snuggle up when mum goes down stairs? If you could understand what I say that is what I would tell you.”

Mum looked at her son and the dog and thought to herself,

“If I could tell you what I thought in my heart when I see you two together what would I say? That I worry because you have no friends except that dog? That you never talk to me about things? That - when I get up to check on you in the night, that dog is with you on the bed and I am worried he might suffocate you?  That I worry about you because I know we have little but I am trying my best? If I could tell you what is in my heart that is what I would say to you.”

The little boy looked at his mum. The love he had for her shone from his face. “Mummy, thank you for my dog, I love you very much.” He got up and rushed over to her giving her a bug hug. He pulled himself away and went back to his dog. Staring into his eyes the little boy said, “You have given me my best friend. He is everything I have always wanted,” and as he said this, he hugged the dog and the dog reciprocated, wagging his tail and licking the boys ear.

“Careful dear”, mummy said, “don’t let him get too close. Push him away dear. It’s not healthy.”