If you are anything like me, you woke up this morning HOPING the events in Las Vegas were simply a horrible dream. Just like the day after the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Florida, the Marathon Bombings in Boston and the day after the attack on Coast Guard Petty Officer Lisa Trubnikova which left her wife and a Bourne police officer wounded and disabled. I want it all to be a nightmare that I can shake off with a good cup of coffee.
Sadly, it’s all very real.
So now what? Do we stand around and point fingers? Cry and yell and punch the wall? Blame politicians and social media? Do we shut down in fear and refuse to function?
I suppose you can do all that, but it won’t make things better and it won’t change past events, which are sadly becoming more and more common.
It’s ok to feel overwhelmed and emotional. If I didn’t cry at times like this, I would somehow feel less human. It’s compassion and emotion that motivate us to take care of each other. So let’s take care of each other. And remember that small gestures can go a long way.
Last night as I was walking my dog, one of my neighbors came out with his little boy. This is a neighbor whom I have never met before. We see each other and occasionally wave, but that’s been the extent of our communications.
“This is my son. He is only two and I think he is afraid of dogs,” my neighbor said with a bit of an accent. There are plenty of dogs in our neighborhood, and in fact, there were two small dogs across the street barking at us.
I smiled and introduced them to Mazzy (keeping in mind that Mazzy is an Anatolian Shepherd and towers over most children). Mazzy patiently stood still as the father reached over to show his son that he didn’t have to be afraid of the giant white dog.
The little boy wanted nothing to do with Mazzy and hid behind his father’s leg. We chatted briefly until his son became fidgety. We shook hands and said good night and as I walked away I heard a little voice squeak out “Bye bye”. I smiled for the the rest of the way home.
Why am I telling you this? Not because it’s one more story about my dog. I am sharing this story because, for just a moment, I was able to help a father give his son the chance to be less afraid of something. Perhaps in the coming days and weeks, we will all have the chance to make someone feel safe and less afraid.
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About Cat Wilson
