An Umbrella Story ...With a Happy Ending

This week while we were spending time in my granddaughter's 4th grade classroom, her teacher's son (from another grade) was having a hard morning with headaches. And so, he came in to his Mom's classroom, and nestled into a cozy blue beanbag chair by her desk, to have a place and space to rest and hopefully find relief from pain.  Chester and I went over to say hi ....

I knelt next to Austin. Chester stood still as a statue about 2 ft away. I  could  NOT figure out the why's of Chester's  decision to stay at a distance.   I didn't push him to come, nor did I gently tug his leash ... but,  I watched and pondered while visiting with Austin.  Usually Chester is quick to come to Austin's side, no matter where he is. This very brave young boy has had a rough season with some HUGE health issues, and as often happens, Chester just knows and understands these things and is quick to offer love and compassion.

But not today.

And then I noticed........and understood.  While snuggled into that cozy chair, Austin was fiddling with a small white looped chord,  and the chord was attached to a folded-up UMBRELLA.     One of Chester's fears, right up there with thunder claps and booming fireworks, is the dreaded pop-open UMBRELLA. (another story for another day).

I looked at Chester and felt his dilemma .....  His eyebrows kept twitching as he looked from umbrella to Austin and back again. 

Finally............finally.... Chester's love and compassion for Austin won, becoming  bigger than his fear. And he scooted in to offer a snuggle and a smooch, even while scary-umbrella was still in Austin's hands.

I filled Austin in, on a bit of  the umbrella story,  and thanked him for sharing a bit of his courage with Chester.  His eyes twinkled as he patted Chester's furry head, and of course in classic Austin style he encouraged his friend, "Good Boy Chester."