I felt like a yellow starburst.

I was the flavor that no one liked, but no one loved.

Not quite sour, but not sweet.

The bottom of the bag, only if I’m in a desperate mood flavor

The “If someone asks for one of my starbursts, I’ll give them this yellow one” flavor.

I had middle-child syndrome.

I was stuck in a conversation that never involved me.

I was nominated for every award, but never won one.

I never enjoyed athletics and only played soccer to amuse my parents.

I got average grades.

I was okay at the clarinet.

I was a “jack of all trades” sort of girl.

Life was passing me by, and I did not even care.

 

That was until…

 

I found my thing.

The thing that was going to define me.

 

I went to the shelter and stared in their eyes.

They looked back at me and I started to cry.

One was sick and one was blue

I wanted the lab but the pitbull too.

My hands started shaking as I reached for his kennel card.

I knew that he had been left in a yard,

Rotting away.

Disposed of and left for dead.

The person that did this wasn’t right in the head.

His right arm was bent and he reeked of some god awful scent

I looked at his face and was full of disgrace.

What kind of world do I live in where a person would do this to an animal?

I rushed to his side and he looked at me in the eyes.

I told him, “Today is the start of your new life.”

 

I took him home that night and he nuzzled my arm.

I didn’t know how someone could do him so much harm.

As he laid next to me and we looked up at the ceiling,

I knew he was mine and would never leave my side.

 

From that day forward, I was transformed.

I bared witness to humanity’s cruelty.

I was now aware of the surrounding world’s savagery.

I couldn’t turn away or pretend to not know about the pain that animals were going through everyday.

So I decided to make a change.

From that day forward, I have volunteered with a rescue called Leashes of Love.

I go to shelters and rescue dogs, I bring these dogs to the vet, I bring them to their foster home, and I watch them get adopted.

Then the cycle starts again the next day.