“Your greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give”
It was 3:58pm on a Saturday. I had been at a Real Estate conference all weekend. This was the final day and I was looking forward to relaxing for the little we had at the end of the night. I opened my email to see a message marked urgent from Austin Pets Alive. I get these emails almost daily so I wasn’t expecting to see the saddest looking dog I have ever seen in my life. This dog, who was later to be named Cindy, had run out of time with a deadline of 5pm that day.
This dog had been found outside in the back of a car dealership. She was almost completely hairless from sarcoptic mange, skin infections, and malnourishment. No one wanted to take her because her of health complications.
I get it. When I saw her I immediately thought of how her complications would complicate my life. I had a 5 month old daughter, I had two dogs who could likely get sick, I would have to disinfect everything she came into contact with until she was no longer contagious. If I wanted to, I could have easily disregarded that email due to perfectly valid reasons.
But when I saw that picture there is something that struck me. There are many things I want to do, good things I would do if I had time or money. But Cindy had even less than me. This dog was out of hope, luck and time. I decided to find some time to save a life.
It is easy to say that you will do good, or give more when you have more. It is easy to fantasize about the person you will be when X happens. But you can’t wait for the stars to align to be the person you want to be. Giving back will rarely if ever be convenient. I have challenged the limitations I had put on myself and have gained amazing opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. I hope to do more in the future but I have chosen to do what I can..now.
In just a few short days I have seen Cindy’s life transform from the broken spirited puppy we first took home. After 3 days she was no longer contagious and she has her first meet and greet with her potential forever family today.
Every person has the power to initiate transformation for the better, whether it’s being extra nice to the cashier when you are checking out, sending kind words to a friend, donating to your favorite charity, volunteering or any other act of service that you are passionate about. Giving whatever you can in this moment to make the world a better place is one of the most important things in life.
If you are interested in fostering in Austin, TX you can fill out the Austin Pets Alive application at the link below.
If you can’t foster but still want to help, Austin Pets Alive also has a wish list for their most needed items
If you can afford to give a couple of dollars click the button below to make your contribution.
Even if you don’t want to foster I encourage you to find something you are passionate about giving back to and take the first step towards getting involved to giving back.