Sometimes the universe gives you exactly what you need.

Saturday Hubby and I went to a family run pet store.  As often happens we started talking about dogs and dog food.  Turns out this lady started her pet store because one of her dogs had food allergies and she couldn’t get the food he needed.

We shared that Delilah is a rescue and she shared that she has rescued a few dogs. I asked if she’d heard about the Just One Day project and she hadn’t, so we exchanged cards so I could get her the information she needs so she can help promote next year’s one day.

I also told her that I shared dogs on my facebook page and participated in a blog hop that shared dogs in need of homes.

I said, “Some of them just touch your heart.”

Hubby said, “They all touch your heart.”

Yes of course they all touch my heart, how could they not? Since I’ve been sharing dogs both on facebook and here, I must have shared hundreds, if not more.  Do I remember them all?   I’d be lying if I said I did.

Sometimes I think it’s for my own self-preservation.  The sadness of animal welfare in this country can be overwhelming.   I’d never sleep if I remembered them all.

But there are some that haunt me.  I remember their faces and I remember their names.

Dogs like Penelope, who even though she is safe in foster care looks so worried.

Dogs like Little Lady No Name, who is eight-years old, blind and possibly pregnant.  (I did find out they were calling her Moo Shu or #24.)

I started talking about Little Lady No Name and sharing her story, when suddenly the woman’s daughter exclaimed, “She was adopted!”

“Are you sure?” I think I might have clutched at my chest where my heart should be.

She grabbed her phone and started scrolling, explaining as she did that she follows the Hartford Pound.  And then she showed me her picture and said, “This girl?”

I nodded my head, “Yes, yes that’s her.”

“She was adopted.”

It took every fiber of my being not to sob with joy.  She made it out!

I said in last week’s Follow-Up Friday post that I don’t check on the dogs because it will break my heart to find out they didn’t make it.  But this time, the universe gave me just what I needed.

Oh she’ll probably still haunt me but in a way that pushes me to continue to share, because we really can make a difference.

What pushes you when you feel lost or helpless?  Where do you draw your inner strength from?