An Opportunity

As Bubba finished sharing his insights with Matt, Barry called all the dogs back into the shelter. They ate lunch and then went to rest in their cages while visitors came to look at them. As Matt lay in his kennel, he saw a man and woman and their two children stop in front of Bubba's door.

“He's a big, cute guy,” the man said.

“Yeah, but he's too old,” the woman said. “We want a dog our kids can grow up with. We need a young guy like this one here,” she said as she looked into Matt's cage.

Matt wanted to bark but he didn't. He remembered to smile and think positive thoughts as she looked at him. The man followed his wife to Matt's cage and stood next to her and put his hand out. Matt reached his mouth through the opening in the cage and licked the man's hand.

“He's a cute, little guy,” the man said.

Matt couldn't believe it. They were going to pick him. This was his day. He was going to be adopted. He could hardly contain his excitement.

Then he heard one of the children yell, “Mommy, Daddy! I love this doggie over here!” The parents ran over and Barry took the dog out of the cage and gave it to the child to hold. Then, Matt heard the words that didn't make him feel very positive.

“We'll take him,” the man said. And Matt knew that today wasn't his day to get adopted. He looked up and saw Bubba, and they looked at each other with sadness in their eyes.

Yes, they were positive dogs, but today no one wanted them and it was okay to be sad. They had faith that it would happen when the time was right, but today just wasn't the right time. Perhaps there was more he needed to learn and do before it was time to leave the shelter. Like Bubba, Matt decided he would turn the challenge of being there into an opportunity.