Rescued

It was a rainy, cold afternoon, the wind was blowing, and it was definitely not a day that I wanted to go grocery shopping. It was one of those days that I could have stayed in bed all day, like many days. The struggle was real. Major depression was a part of my life, but I had to keep going, pushing myself to do even the smallest of task. I pulled myself together and headed out. What I didn’t know was a little miracle would come into my life that day.

I entered the automated doors of the grocery store and right in front of me, I saw him, shaking off the rain and shivering, just trying to get out of the cold.

"Did you know there is a dog in here?" I said, to someone who worked there.

"Yes," he replied, "he has been trying to get in all day."

"No one has offered to take him?" I asked

"No," he said.

I immediately picked him up. His little body was old and frail. His nose was crooked and his breath was almost unbearable. I could not leave him there. Needless to say, my grocery shopping did not get accomplished that day. I left to see if I could find his home—surely he just wandered off. I stopped at several homes nearby, but no one was missing him or knew him. My only option was to take him home and try to find his owner. I exhausted every option. No one was missing him. "I will find him a home," I told my husband. What I didn’t know was that Rusty (the name we gave him) would change my life forever. My husband and I had been married seventeen years and had never had an indoor dog, so this was a big adjustment for both of us. Everyone that I asked, no one had room for this little man.

As time went on, a few weeks, I was starting to get attached. You see, Rusty was sweet and kind and seemed grateful for his new home. God knew that I had been praying for a miracle. My depression was not improving and my life seemed meaningless, and some days I did not want to live. I would have never thought that a precious animal would change my life forever. There was this special bond between us that I can’t explain. We were meant to be together. Yes, I rescued this sweet boy, but most of all he rescued me and I am forever grateful that on that rainy, cold day, God placed him into my life. Rusty, taken over by cancer, is gone now, but I will never forget the love that he showed me, allowing me to love him, while healing.