Hiya, something simple prompted a smile yesterday, and left a light lesson that resonates today.

There was a brief bark-fest with the neighbourhood canine community just before midday. I noticed two small dogs through the fence next door, where no dogs live. One minute they were trying to make friends with mine (who looked a lot like them; one white, one tan and white) and the next, they were out on the road zipping on and off every house’s lawn, having a blast exploring.

Unfortunately, as cute as they were, they weren’t the most street-smart and kept zigging and zagging across the road, oblivious to the intermittent cars that swirled like pretzels around them. Don’t worry ok; this has a good ending.

A few minutes later, I was on my way to the shop having a light walk and noticed the same two dogs heading towards the main road. The tinier of the two (about the size of a luxury handbag) suddenly turned around, saw me – probably had a flashback to frolicking next door, and started running towards me wagging her tail like a windshield wiper. Asked around; no one knew whose they were, except one person who said they lived 6 streets down – 3 streets beyond where I was going.

And so we went – the two happy miniature canines, to what I thought was their street. Turns out it wasn’t, and we ended up meeting two other tiny dogs doing the same thing – bouncing from lawn to lawn. No one I saw in that gap recognized the first two dogs and after a brief farewell to the new two, we turned around and headed outside the shop. The owner said, ‘you can come over; it’s ok – they look friendly.’ I crossed the road, and the two tiny dogs followed and had a seat – venturing off to investigate the grounds once or twice, but being obedient with the one customer told them to “come from ‘cross dey.”

The customer, an elderly man told me this was the first time he’d been so close to dogs since being severely bitten as a child. He showed the small scars from gashes on his ankle and shin. Now, one of the tiny two was weaving in and out of his chair legs, playfully, and the man seemed surprised at the ease and amusement he felt.

Sometimes the giants of the past we’ve faced are no longer giants at all when we grow. We can also choose a new response to a familiar trigger, and have a new experience to build on and learn through.

‘Out of the blue,’ he asked if I knew anyone who was interested in an apartment – 3 bedroom, a/c etc. – I did…someone had asked me to check on one for them just an hour before.

So, now we’ve come to the conclusion that I had no idea where the tiny two lived, it looked like it was: take them with me – give them water – post puppy pics on social media and hope their owner showed up. It was obvious that they were well-loved – just momentarily missing and enjoying an adventure outdoors, that could become dangerous if they weren’t safely at home by a certain time. Some in the neighbourhood volunteered, ‘people like to steal those kinds of dogs.’

Reached home, and as I was coming back outside the gate to rest down a water pan for the panting pair, a woman walks up with a relieved look on her face. Woohoo! She found them, happened to live only a few houses away and yes it was super obvious that she loved her precious pets. She held them in her arms and shared that she’d been driving up and down each road searching for them, hadn’t known how they got out, and decided to walk and see if she noticed them anywhere between or behind any of the houses.

The whole thing lasted about an hour, but that little impromptu adventure, search mission, the smiles that came from a little walk with two (more) happy pups and the relief of their return home was a simple highlight that’s still a bright moment reaching even into today…

I hope whatever you do, or wherever you go today sweet surprises decorate your day…