Part 2: Carried by Love — Annaly Bay / Carambola Tide Pools

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I’m a pretty confident pup. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still get scared. It’s true, what sometimes comes across as an overinflated ego might have a little fear running underneath it. The reality is, I’m not a large dude. If you’ve explored our beautiful island, you’ll notice there are more big dogs roaming the streets than little ones. It’s a challenge for a small, unhoused pup to make it out there alongside the bigger, stronger dogs. We are all fighting for the same resources. And, as adorable as I am, the larger dogs fighting for limited resources didn’t exactly greet me with kindness. I had to learn to be tough, to posture, to carry myself in a big way, even though I’m small enough to fit under the seat of an airplane.

As tough as I may come across, in reality, a lot of the time I lived on the streets, I was scared. My family saw it in my eyes the first time they met me. They saw it each time I met a new human (especially males). They saw it when I met cats or came across other dogs. They even saw it the first time they took me to the ocean, when I got too close to the water and it startled me.

For over a year now, my family has helped me feel safer and less scared in the world. I’ve found a new sense of confidence (maybe a bit overinflated at times), but I still get scared. We all get scared sometimes.

You know the hike I told you about in my last blog? I loved that hike! It was such a beautiful path to the ocean filled with good smells. And when we finally got to the beach, it was incredible! The fresh ocean breeze renewed my spirit. The trouble is, we didn’t end our journey there. My family decided they were going to hike around the edge of a cliff with super large waves crashing in, so they could soak in the elusive tide pool. Well, I took one look at that journey and thought, If I try to walk that, I’ll be swept away to sea forever. Honestly, even my humans weren’t sure at first if they’d make it — the tide was far enough in that they had reservations about making the climb. Even though this adventure was on a holiday (Thanksgiving), safety never takes a vacation.

After a lot of deliberation, watching the waves, testing the rocks, and charting a course, my family began their climb to the actual tide pool. My mom went first so she could test the rocks with her weight and help Elijah and Penelope navigate the terrain. She’d climb a bit, then pause and make sure her kids made it safely to the same point. My dad and I brought up the rear so he could help quickly if any accidents occurred. He's a first responder, but fortunately he didn't need to use those skills on this particular day! It's clear Elijah and Penelope have done a lot of climbing and have very strong holds. I was impressed!

When my mom and siblings were safe, it was our turn to make a move. As much as I wanted to try and mountain-goat it, I knew it just wasn’t possible. My paws lack the opposable thumbs needed to get a real grip on the cliff. Plus, when I stood on the ground and felt the strength of the waves coming in, I was terrified. We all knew (me included), I couldn’t make this journey alone. It was just too big and too scary. As much as I wanted to push through and prove that I am tough, I knew I needed help. So, at that moment, I let my dad hold me. And he carried me through.

I think life is that way. No matter how capable or confident we are, we aren’t meant to go it alone. Asking for help doesn’t mean we are weak. In fact, I think it takes a tremendous amount of strength, wisdom, and self-compassion to recognize when something is hard and be willing to receive help. It is okay to be carried. Being carried doesn’t mean I’m less of a dog—it simply means I’m loved. I'm grateful I let people love me. It led to beautiful things! More on that in part 3 of the Tide Pools!