FEBRUARY 28-DAY CHALLENGE
Day Twenty: A Time You Were Rejected
I still feel the sting.
When I was in my teens, I received a rejection letter. I’ve never gotten over it. I’ve never met the person who sent it but wondered at the time if he was always unkind. Someone so blunt. Was he someone who could shatter a girl’s dream with simple strokes of his pen without a second thought? It appeared so. Or maybe he merely lacked emotional intelligence.
I don’t remember the first time I saw a visually impaired person walking with their guide dog, but when I did, it made a lasting impression. I was an avid dog lover, and watching the partnership between a human and their dog was pure magic. Many in my life didn’t understand the bond I shared with my four-legged friends, but an animal who acted like a pair of eyes. This miracle they could understand and admire.
After reading Follow My Leader by James B Garfield, a fictional book about a boy who went blind after a firecracker accident and his guide dog, and watching Atta Girl, Kelly, a two-part Disney series about a working dog for the visually impaired, I knew when I grew up that I wanted to work with both. I had spunk and spirit and a strong desire to inspire others until that day when a reply letter carelessly shattered my dreams.
