Image via Wikipedia

“Secret Spot” is what my friends and I always referred to it as.  Deep into woods, a beautiful stream runs through jungles of blooming trees and obstacle courses of boulders.  The water flows through the barriers with ease, carrying along broke sticks and fallen leaves.  The sun glimmers off the water, shining its rays of lights.  There is not the slightest glimpse of imperfection.  The only sound you hear is the whimsical waterfalls, bees buzzing, and wind whirling.  It is easily the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.  When I am here, and only here, I am finally at peace.

I spend everyday caring for animals, specifically cats and dogs.  Working at a kennel, I encounter all kinds of dogs, big and small.  I care for all kinds of cats, vicious or lovable.  I truly do enjoy my job, however, every once in a while I hear horror stories.  Stories of dogs I’m familiar with, given up for adoption, not finding a home, and given euthanasia.  My heart literally feels like it’s breaking when I hear this.  Innocent animals everyday are being put to sleep because heartless people don’t want to waste the time caring for them for too long.  If I ever won the lottery, I would open a rescue shelter.  This shelter would rescue healthy dogs and cats from being killed, a place that will love them until they find a home worthy enough.  This would change my life because instead of feeling so helpless, I would for once experience hope.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

My family has not always been the most tight-knit group of people.  We’ve always been busy, constantly on the go.  Not much room for “family time”.  Growing up, there was one day a year we would always reunite; Christmas Eve.  Every year, my family would gather at my home.  My parents would host 20-30 of us.  We exchanged gifts, laughed, and caught up, but what we really loved to do was eat.  We maintained the same buffet table throughout the years.  My parents would blow outrageous amount of money on seafood of all sorts; lobster, shrimp, and cod.  These nights are my fondest memories as a child, because I was surrounded by not only the people who I loved the most, but the food I love the most.  My children will forever carry out my family’s legacy.

Dogs are one of the most kept pets by humans. They are supposed to be very loyal and hence even their owner leaves no stone unturned to see that they are well looked after. Food of the best quality specially designed for dogs is now made by companies and even though it is highly priced many people prefer to serve their dog with only that food, as it is supposed to be very healthy. Be it bones or special food, one of the most important thing required to buy when one keeps a dog, is to buy him his “dog bowl” in which he can have his daily milk and food with ease, without spilling it on to the floor. Poor people just keep a regular bowl or plate for their pet dog, however people who can afford better, buy special steel dog bowls available in the market. Dogs are therefore luckier than thousands of poor orphan children in the world.