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The night was breezy, but warm. I hadn’t seen too many Christmas Eve’s this warm- most of the Christmas’ I remember were cooler and the ground was covered with snow. Molly and I were taking our usual nightly stroll, and taking our sweet time. Molly was stopping every few steps to smell the odors of other dogs who had walked before us. I was enjoying the quiet solitude of the walk as I listened to the leaves gently move to the songs of the wind.
Christmas lights adorned the porches of the houses that we walked by and through the glass of the windows, we watched the lights of the Christmas trees sparkle and dance as they blinked on and off. The night felt magical and as we walked, I thought about the trip Mary and Joseph made so many years ago and the small stable where Jesus was born.
I felt Molly pulling on the leash and when I looked down at her, she was looking up at me intently.
“Do you want to go this way?” I asked her. Her response was evident as she started walking in the opposite direction that we usually go. I followed, not sure where she was going.
We walked several blocks and it was starting to get dark. I attempted to turn Molly around, but she insisted we walk a little farther in that same direction.
In the middle of the next block, Molly stopped in front of a small house. It was not lit up and had no Christmas lights on. There was a very small glow on the inside of the house, but it didn’t look like anyone was home. I thought maybe I could get Molly to turn around since she stopped, but she headed toward the porch.
“No Molly,” I said. “We can’t go there. We don’t know who lives here.”
I nudged on her leash, but she wouldn’t budge. She looked at the house, back at me, then started whining.
“What’s wrong, girl,” I said. “Why do you want to go to this house?”
I took a second look at the house. The house was dark grey with white shutters on the windows. The yard and the porch were empty and the yard looked a little unkept. I honestly didn’t think anyone even lived there… except I could see a tiny light flickering inside. Molly was still pulling toward the house, but I really couldn’t understand why.
“Is there someone in there, girl?” I ask her.
She got excited and started pulling harder toward the door.
“OK,” I said, “I’ll check, but I feel kind of silly knocking on this door.”
I walked to the wood porch and the boards creaked as I stepped in front of the door. Molly was looking intently at the door. There was no doorbell so I knocked softly. I didn’t hear any movement and no one answered.
“Let’s go, Molly,” I said. “There’s no one home.”
I turned to walk down the wood steps, but Molly whined at the door.
It was dark now and I felt uneasy.
“Seriously, girl?” I said.
I stepped back to the door and knocked again. No answer. I glanced at the door handle and wondered if I should try it. I whispered a short prayer and decided I better at least check it out.
The door handle turned. I slowly opened the door just a couple of inches.
“Hello?” I said. “Hello, is anyone here?”
I pushed the door open a little more and looked into the room. The room was dark and I squinted to see what was in it. It was a small room with just a desk in it but in the adjoining room, an elderly lady sat in a rocking chair. There was a small end table right beside her chair and on the end table, there was a tiny lit candle. She didn’t say a word as I walked in- she just rocked slowly in her chair with her head down.
“Hi,” I said to the lady. “Are you ok?”
The lady didn’t answer and she didn’t even look up when I spoke to her.
Molly walked over to the lady slowly and sniffed her pants. Her tail started wagging slowly. She looked up at the lady and whined. The lady was watching Molly. I didn’t know what to do or what to expect even.
Tears started rolling down the ladies face as she reached down to pet Molly. Molly jumped up and put her front feet on the ladies legs and her tail was wagging fast now. The lady started to smile as she continued to pet Molly.
Without any warning, Molly jumped up in the ladies lap. I was embarrassed and started toward her to get her down, but Molly started licking the ladies face and she started to laugh out loud.
I stepped back and just watched them. I didn’t know what else to do. I put my hand to my face and felt tears rolling down my cheeks too. Molly and this lady were giving each other kisses and the lady was hugging Molly and I couldn’t do anything but just laugh and cry at the same time.
After several minutes of this, Molly just sat down on the ladies lap and looked up at me.
“How did you know?” the lady asked me. “How did you know I was here?”
“Molly knew,” I said, with tears in my eyes. ” I don’t know how she knew, but she brought me here.”
“Really?” the woman said.
“Yes,” I answered. “She led me right to this house and she wouldn’t leave.
The lady started crying again and gave Molly another hug.
“She just made my Christmas,” she said. “I don’t have any family or anyone to spend Christmas with and I was sitting here praying for a friend. Your little dog is an answered prayer.”
“Please come have a Christmas supper with our family,” I said.
“Oh no,” said the lady. “I feel better now. I’ll be ok.”
Molly jumped down off of her lap and started barking and turning circles.
“Please join us,” I said. “Molly won’t have it any other way.”
Molly barked and ran to the door.
“Ok, Molly,” the lady said. “Let me get my coat and I’ll walk home with you.”
Molly waited on the lady to put her coat on and then headed out the door to show her the way home.
Please think about someone who might be alone this Christmas season… and give them the gift of friendship!!
Merry Christmas!!
Until next time,
Candy and Miss Molly
