Brona, the baby monkey, had always been curious about the little puppy who lived nearby. The puppy was warm, soft, and always wagging his tail, and Brona often thought of him as a friend. That morning, Brona wanted nothing more than to wrap her tiny arms around the puppy and share a gentle hug.
With excitement, she toddled over, reaching out eagerly. But the puppy wasn’t in the mood. He turned his head, stepped back, and refused the embrace. To Brona, who only understood love in the purest form, it felt like rejection. Her tiny face scrunched up, her lips trembled, and suddenly the tears began to flow.
Anger and sadness mixed together as she stomped her little feet and let out loud cries. She reached again for the puppy, but when he turned away once more, Brona’s cries turned into sharp screams of frustration. She couldn’t understand why her friend didn’t want to hug her back.
Mom quickly rushed over, scooping Brona into her arms. She whispered softly, rocking her back and stroking her fur. “It’s okay, Brona. Sometimes friends just need space,” mom said gently, even though Brona was too small to understand. The little monkey clung to mom’s chest, her sobs slowly calming as she felt the safety of warm arms around her.
The puppy, seeing Brona comforted, wagged his tail and came closer. Though he didn’t hug, he sniffed her gently, showing his friendship in his own way. Brona’s tears dried, and her anger softened into a tired sigh.
In that small moment, Brona began learning one of life’s hardest lessons—love doesn’t always come in the way we expect, but it is still there.
