A hand held out to a soft furry head,
Met by a cold wet nose
That, as it sniffs,
Sends out puffs of warm air
That tickle my palm

I giggle, my sweet baby laugh
Muffled as I bury my face in your fur.

Soon, I grow sleepy,
And you patiently wait for
Me to wake,
Staying still and silent

Not moving to bark at the
Nosy mailman, or sticking
Your nose into fresh chocolatey brownies.

You are my mother, brother, best friend,
All in one, but better.
You understand me without silly things like words or language.

Fast forward seven years.
The sweet smell of freshly mown grass
Fills the air.
The sun is slowly sinking beneath the trees,
And fireflies are floating through the darkening sky.

You playfully snap at them,
Making me giggle.

To me, you are like the fireflies,
My own jar of sunshine and joy.