Hello my friend.
Welcome to your sleep story.
My name is Stephen Dalton.
I'm an Irish storyteller,
And it's my great privilege to be the voice that you listen to as you go to sleep tonight.
I know many of you,
If not all of you,
Love animals,
And as a lot of you know,
I have a little dog that I love dearly.
In fact,
You might like to know that he's in the studio with me right now as I record this.
And so,
After hearing some suggestions from you guys,
And from talking with my wife Rebecca,
I came up with an idea of writing a very simple story about one man and a dog,
And about how the dog really brings light into the old man's life.
I hope you like it.
Okay,
Let's do the relaxation session now,
Which will take a few minutes,
Before tonight's sleep story.
I'm going to count down from 10 to 1,
And as I do,
Allow yourself to let go more and more.
10.
Feel the support of the bed beneath you,
Or the ground,
Or whatever you might be lying on.
11.
And beneath that,
Feel the constantness of the support of the earth,
Feel the solidity,
The peace that is offered by the earth.
12.
See if that feeling of support can allow you to let go a little more now.
9.
Feel into your body.
Where do you feel tension tonight?
10.
Where are you still holding?
Maybe in your feet,
In your hands,
Maybe your face,
Maybe your belly.
Just let it go now.
Your body has worked hard for you today.
Allow it to rest.
8.
You are safe.
You are okay.
9.
Soften into that feeling of safety now.
Allow my voice to be an anchor of safety,
To be safe in the knowledge that my voice will only ever take you to places of safety.
7.
Know that peace lives within you.
It is your constant friend.
8.
It is always within you,
Just waiting to be seen.
It just takes a little bit of searching,
A little bit of softening,
A little bit of letting go.
9.
To witness that peace,
To feel that peace within you.
See if you can start to find it now.
6.
The day is done.
7.
Whatever has been,
Has been.
Whatever will be,
Will be.
8.
Whatever thoughts you have about the day that just was,
Just acknowledge them.
Don't fight them.
And just see them like passing clouds in a starry sky.
And let them pass away now.
And find yourself more in this moment.
And whatever thoughts you might have about the future,
You can't act on them now.
So just let them float away too.
5.
This is your moment.
6.
This is your time.
You deserve rest.
You deserve peace.
Allow that fact to bring about more letting go now.
7.
We all deserve rest.
And you deserve it as much as anyone else.
4.
Perhaps allow a little gratitude now.
5.
For the ability to have this moment.
To have the opportunity of rest.
You are fortunate.
So enjoy that fact.
Settle in to the coziness of this moment.
Really indulge now.
And enjoy this moment that you are blessed with.
3.
Begin to engage with your imagination now.
Begin to see a beautiful old city about a hundred years ago.
And see an old man on his own,
Living in a beautiful big old apartment.
2.
Check in with your body one more time now.
Soften anywhere you might be holding.
And let go of any tension.
1.
Completely letting go now.
As I tell you tonight's sleep story.
There once was an old man.
He lived about a hundred years ago in a very charming city.
One of those cities that people always like to visit to see the museums and the great art.
He had moved there in his youth just for that reason.
He wanted to create and to find that creative life within him.
And he did,
That's for certain.
He became a great artist.
He had great loves,
A great life as a creator,
And lived every second to the fullest.
He was kind and generous and gave to so many.
He was much sought after in the community,
Not just for his art or his money,
But for what he brought in spirit.
But,
As time had passed,
People that he loved moved on,
Or passed on.
And gradually,
Over time,
The man felt less like living the full life that he had once lived.
He no longer went to the galleries,
To the cinema,
To the cafes,
Or engaged with the community.
He just stayed inside and did,
Well,
Very little.
The only time he left the house was to go to the local corner store and buy his essentials.
And even that felt like a big chore.
He didn't want to see anybody,
And he didn't want anybody to see him.
Years passed by like this,
And the man had resigned himself to this existence,
To this existence,
Accepting that the best of his life was behind him.
The vibrancy of the city,
With its incessant flow of carriages and murmurs of passers-by,
Had become an echo of a life he once knew.
The walls of his grand apartment,
Adorned with paintings and sketches,
Were now just remnants of his passionate youth,
Where each stroke of the brush and dab of color were a living testament to his creative spirit.
But he would hardly look at them now.
He felt unable to most of the time.
Then,
On a particularly brisk winter's evening,
As the man trudged his way back from the store,
His coat buttoned high against the cold.
He felt the weight of his solitude more profoundly.
He was,
As usual,
Avoiding eye contact with everyone around him.
The gas lamps above cast a gentle glow on the cobbled streets,
And in that glow,
Something very much caught his eye,
And it was very much looking back at him.
It was a little dog.
Now,
This little dog,
With a coat as white as snow,
Was quite the contrast to the tall,
Grey-haired elderly man.
The dog had such youth,
And the old man had so little.
At so little,
The dog sat quietly by the side of the street,
Watching the old man with a gentle curiosity.
As the man approached,
The dog wagged its tail softly,
A gesture of friendliness in the chilly evening air.
The man,
Who had long forgotten the simple joy of an unexpected encounter,
Paused.
His heart was touched by the dog's presence.
Curiosity peaked.
The man knelt down,
Extending a cautious hand towards the dog.
In response,
The dog nuzzled into his palm,
Its warmth and affection,
Its warmth and affection,
Breaking through years of solitude.
The man felt a sensation,
A forgotten sensation,
Stir within him,
A sense of connection to another living being.
Hesitantly,
He looked around,
Half expecting the dog's owner to appear.
But the street was empty,
And it seemed as if the dog had appeared just for him.
Over the next few days,
The man found himself looking forward to his brief trips to the corner store,
Secretly hoping to encounter the little white dog.
Like clockwork,
The dog was there each evening,
Its tail wagging its tail.
Wagging in recognition.
The man even began bringing treats,
Savoring the few moments of companionship that filled a void he hadn't quite realized was so deep,
Or even in existence.
The man began to play with the idea of letting the dog come and live with him.
He had more than enough room in his apartment and could do with the company.
It really seemed the dog was unattended,
And probably had no home.
But each evening,
The more reasonable part of him would win out,
And he would quietly bid goodnight to the little dog under his breath,
And quietly climb the steps to his apartment.
And each night,
When he got back inside the apartment,
It started to feel even bigger and emptier than normal.
And each night,
As he started to settle in to his routine,
He started to hear a whimpering sound from below his window.
And each night,
It grew louder.
And each night,
He would pull back the heavy velvet curtain.
And there,
Below his window,
Sat the little dog,
Its eyes looking up,
With a sense of longing and hope.
The sight tugged at the man's heart,
And on one particularly cold night,
As he looked down on the dog,
Its small frame shivering slightly in the cold night air,
He was unable to ignore the cool any longer.
And so the man descended the stairs of his apartment,
His heart leading him towards a decision that reason alone could not dictate.
And opening the front door,
He found the little dog still waiting,
Its eyes gleaming in the faint light.
Well,
It seems we are both in need of a friend,
The man said,
A gentle smile breaking through his usually reserved demeanor.
He stepped aside,
Inviting the dog into his home.
And into his life.
The first night that the dog stayed in the house,
Was like entering a different world for the little animal.
He had indeed grown up on the streets,
And it became clearer to the old man,
Once he got the dog inside,
That the little dog immediately needed a bath.
He filled a basin with warm water,
And gently coaxed the dog towards it.
The dog,
Hesitant at first,
Eventually trusted the man's gentle demeanor,
And allowed itself to be lifted into the basin.
As the man carefully bathed the dog,
Washing away layers of street grime,
He spoke softly to the animal,
Offering words of comfort.
The dog relaxed under his touch,
Its initial apprehension,
Giving way to enjoyment.
The water turned murky,
But as it was rinsed away,
The dog's true coat,
A whiter than white,
Was revealed.
After the bath,
The man dried the dog with a soft towel,
Marveling to himself at how such a simple act of care could be so fulfilling.
Now clean and dry,
Looked up at him with bright,
Grateful eyes.
It was as if,
In that moment,
An unspoken bond was forged between them.
An unspoken bond was forged between them.
The beginning of a companionship that promised to fill the void in both of their lives.
As they both settled in for bed,
The dog found a cozy spot at the foot of the man's bed.
The old man,
Watching the dog drift into a peaceful sleep,
Felt a sense of contentment that he hadn't experienced in years.
The presence of the little dog brought a new energy to the apartment,
A living warmth that seemed to seep into its very walls.
The man had never had a dog before.
The man had never had a dog before.
In fact,
He had never really understood the connection between humans and dogs.
But for the first time in a very long time,
The man was falling asleep,
With a smile on his face,
His heart lighter than it had been in years.
The next day,
The man felt a new wind of energy,
And after a simple breakfast,
He made a list of necessities for his newfound companion.
A collar and leash were at the top,
Followed by nutritious food,
A comfortable bed,
And a few toys.
Wearing his coat and hat,
The man stepped out onto the bustling streets.
The dog,
Trotting happily by his side.
Maybe I won't need that leash,
The man thought to himself.
The dog walks with me everywhere.
The city,
Which had once felt so overwhelming and indifferent,
Now seemed alive with possibilities.
People he passed smiled at the sight of the cheerful little dog,
Some stopping to pet him,
Striking up conversations with Mr.
Ambrose,
Interactions that would have been unthinkable just days ago.
Their first stop was a small pet shop.
The shopkeeper was a jovial man,
With a love for all creatures,
And he helped the man choose a sturdy collar and a leash just in case,
Along with a few other essentials.
As he shopped,
The man felt a sense of belonging,
Of being part of the world again.
The dog,
Meanwhile,
Seemed to relish the attention it received from the shopkeeper and other customers.
Later,
As they walked through a nearby park,
The man observed the dog exploring the new environment with wide-eyed wonder.
Children playing nearby were drawn to the friendly animal,
Their laughter filling the air,
A sound the man realized he had missed dearly.
Watching the dog interact with the world around him,
The man felt his own perspective broaden,
A newfound appreciation for the simple joys of life awakening within him.
The man even ran into people that he hadn't seen in years,
People that,
In fact,
Made him feel quite emotional.
They brought back memories of times long past,
And for the first time in a long time,
He felt grateful for those times,
Not filled with longing for them to return,
Nor regret,
But grateful that he lived those times.
And a sense of acceptance started to descend over him,
Over him,
As he sat and talked with these old friends on this crisp and clear,
Beautiful winter's day.
As he walked home with the little dog,
After planning to meet with those friends again soon,
Breathed in the world in a different way.
He saw the little joys that are there for us all to see,
Whenever we want to see them.
He saw other human beings with fresh eyes.
He saw what might look like just mundane things in an entirely different light.
The miracle of existence was enough to put a smile on his face this day.
He noticed the beautiful buildings around him.
Instead of looking down,
He now looked up.
He saw ornate features on buildings that he hadn't seen in years.
The craftsmanship of people made him think of his own art.
He saw the horses moving through the streets.
He saw the newly invented automobiles appearing now and again,
And marveled at such an invention.
He saw people laughing,
People crying,
People hugging,
People smiling,
People shouting,
People loving,
And he was amazed at how rich life can be.
When you open your eyes to it,
And the thought came across him that it never hurts to have a little friend helping you along.
And as the day came to an end,
The man,
And the dog,
Returned home.
The man set up a cozy corner for his companion,
Complete with a soft bed and toys.
The little white dog,
Now officially a part of his life,
Settled into its new home with ease.
There was only one thing left.
As the man sat in his armchair,
Watching the little dog with a contented heart,
He realized that he hadn't given the dog a name.
A name.
And so,
The man thought it appropriate that he should call the dog after someone else who had given him great joy,
His favorite artist of all time,
Claude Monet.
And so it was,
That on that winter's day,
Mr.
Ambrose called his dog,
Claude.
Mr.
Ambrose and Claude sat by a crackling,
Comforting fire.
Comforting fire.
And Mr.
Ambrose read his book,
And Claude snuggled on the rug by the fire.
And the presence of the little dog by his side brought such a newfound warmth to this familiar activity of reading.
The book,
A classic novel that he had been slowly making his way through,
Seemed more engaging now.
The words on the page came alive,
As if the quiet companionship of the dog had somehow enriched the experience.
He found himself chuckling at the humorous parts,
And reflecting more deeply on the poignant ones.
Every now and then,
He would glance down at the dog,
Who would look back at him with a sort of understanding,
As if it too was part of the story.
This simple act of sharing space with another living being,
Even in silence,
Brought a sense of fulfillment that had been missing from his life.
Mr.
Ambrose also noticed that his meals tasted better.
The music he occasionally played sounded sweeter.
The music he occasionally played sounded sweeter.
And even the air in his apartment felt fresher.
The dog's presence had brought a new energy into his home.
Turning mundane moments into small occasions of joy.
In the days that followed,
Mr.
Ambrose began to revive old hobbies that he had long set aside.
He took out his paintbrushes and canvases.
He was inspired to capture the world around him once again.
The dog would sit patiently by his side,
Watching as colors and shapes took life on the canvas.
It was as if the little dog had not only opened the door back to the world for him,
But had awakened his entire creative spirit.
And each night,
As Mr.
Ambrose prepared for bed,
The dog following him to the bedroom,
He realized that he was looking forward to the next days.
A feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.
And with the dog curled up at the foot of his bed,
In its own little bed,
Mr.
Ambrose would turn off the light,
A gentle smile on his lips.
And in the quiet of the night,
He understood that life,
Which had once felt like it was winding down,
Was now opening new chapters,
Filled with possibilities and the friendship of a little dog.
