Over this holiday season we did something very exciting…we brought a puppy into our family! A 4lb, 6oz ball of fur named Oscar.

This is the first dog our family has ever had, so it has been a learning adventure. My daughter’s toys have had to be put up higher. Our sleep routines had to adjust to accommodate a sleepy, whiny puppy. Little sharp teeth that want to play can make working from a home office challenging. However, this sweet little fur ball is making us laugh and has absolutely stolen our hearts. All the changes and adjustments have been worth the work and temporary discomfort.

How Sophia feels about this new puppy is another story all together! Sophia is our 8 year old cat. She is loving, very chatty, and a bit stubborn member of our family. She sleeps with the kids when they are sick, greets our car when we come home, and wakes us up with her stories. I thought Sophia might be temporarily annoyed by the arrival of Oscar, but it has proven to be much more of an issue than I had imagined.

Oscar took one look at Sophia and fell in love! He was so excited to play with her that he could hardly contain himself. He rushed towards his fury new friend with a toy in his mouth to share but, much to his surprise, was greeted with a hiss and a claw to the face. Although he was taken by surprise that first time, he continues to try new techniques. He has tried the slow army crawl, the bark and go, the under the couch surprise, and the unreciprocated tag you are it. All of his attempts have been met with rejection.

Sophia has always been wary of dogs. She was chased by one as a kitten and has not trusted them since. So as Oscar attempts to form a friendship, all she feels is fear. She shakes and hisses as she runs from his presence.

As I have watched this unfold, it has made this lesson clear: fear blinds us. When we are afraid, we lose sight of possibility, hope and new opportunities. In that moment of fear, we cannot see other options. This is not just with a cat and a dog, but with each and every one of us. What if we risked looking past our fears…would we find a friend, a purpose, a passion, a hope, more compassion? What if?

Let’s Try

o.a.y