I went to story time at the library today with my one year old son. While I thought maybe Charlie and I MIGHT make friends there today I’m afraid I was THAT mom. While trying to get my son and I ready I found out story time was starting earlier than I had thought. So I just threw on the clothes from the dryer that had not dried yet, really they were there first pants and shirt I got my hands on. I forgot to brush my hair and my son’s teeth. Forgot to put on deodorant. While walking out the door I spilt warm coffee all over both of us?. When I got half way there I looked down to see that I forgot I was wearing my bedroom slippers, luckily I convinced myself that I could pull them off as regular shoes…kinda…sorta. All this resulted me being a hot mess when I walked in. I’m pretty sure I had a visible sweat stache and I was breathing a little heavy from carrying my 30 lbs purse and trying to hold my son in a position that would block my huge coffee stain on the front of my shirt. I gave a few awkward smiles to those around me, and I just wanted to blurt out “I SWEAR I’M NOT AS CRAZY AS I LOOK! GIVE ME A CHANCE. I THINK YOU MIGHT LIKE ME.” A couple minutes later Laura walks in, late, scattered, and with her one year old that had blueberries on her face Hahahaha! What a breath of fresh air. Finally someone who gets me. At that moment I was able to magically be myself.
I say this because I can’t help but think that’s how dogs in shelters feel. They don’t want you to judge that they smell, are in doggy prison, that they are not themselves. It’s as if they want to scream “I SWEAR I’M NOT AS CRAZY AS I LOOK! GIVE ME A CHANCE. I THINK YOU MIGHT LIKE ME.”
That’s what we do. We go to shelters and we see the mess these animals are in. But we know that their current state is not who they are. We take them, get to know them, and we become friends. Why? Because there is nothing like that feeling of when you’re a mess, and your friend comes in with blueberries all over their face. It changes you. Acceptance changes you. Relating to someone changes you. These dogs are in survival mode in shelters. They are rarely what you originally see. In order to continue to do what we do we need funds. So we have some fundraising to do. We are planning on having a yard sale soon. We will have more details later, but for now, get in that basement, that shed, that closet, that attic, and start thinking about what you would like to donate to our yard sale:). Help us so we can continue pulling our friends from shelters:).
-Wendolyn
