Puppy Potential

This past week we had the gift of welcoming a 7 week old puppy into our Casa.  Now, you might expect chaos and complete anarchy in the face of an energetic puppy partnered with 3, 4, 5, and 6 year olds, but the opposite was true.  The puppy, probably exhausted in the face of this new adventure, promptly fell asleep.  The children were quieter than I dreamed was possible.  They had such respect for the puppy (Cleo) and her need for sleep, that they did not even whisper.  They silently found work, and moved as if on a balance beam.  Cleo whimpered in her sleep, and the children were immediately at her side, ready to attend to any need she might display.  The great respect and consideration the children displayed is inspiring.  There is such a huge capacity for love in every one of these children.  Whenever I think about the huge task of bringing peace to even a small part of the world, I am comforted by the potential for love and caring that a puppy brought to our lives.