Day 532

The faces of fear! As I sit on the couch, Ranger is beside me on my left, Gus is on my right with his head in my lap and our other two Goldens each occupy one of my feet! The culprit...a new roof! Off with the old...on with the new!

We have Velcro Goldens today. The pounding, scraping, thumping and hammering is our soundtrack for the day. We can identify the sounds, but the Goldens are increasingly terrified. Poor babies! If they could only understand our words. However, they do seem to need us by their side to face their fear.

Being afraid is a complicated experience for all of us. For dogs, they need our presence to calm down. For children, they also need us near, but they also require some type of explanation and guidance. Words from their trusted adults calm the heart and soothe their mind.

For adults, facing fear is not so simple. Having concerns when we have already traveled on life's journey for a while gives those fears some "teeth." When people have bad experiences, similar events can set fear in motion. There might not be anyone nearby to soothe the storm within. When this happens to me, I ask myself, "What part can I control?" and take that first step towards reducing the fear. If I am helpless to work towards a solution, I take a deep breath and simply wait. "This to shall pass" was sound advice my own Nanny would have offered. It seems I do have someone to soothe my heart and mind...

I am also reminded of my own words in one of my books, "Becoming Brave," where the teddy bear teaches his small Golden friend that fear is our friend. It is when we feel that unsettling sensation within that we should be cautious and listen to our inner voice...keeping us safe from harm.

For now, I will stay close to my fur babies and calm their fears. As for myself, hopefully wisdom, faith and patience will be my companions to soothe my spirit when uncertainty and fear cloud my life.