Be kind

We live in a comparison kind of world, from clothes and lifestyles, from cars and homes, from what we eat or don't, how we treat our pets and raise our children. My hair is straight and flat, yours is curly and voluminous. My eyes change colors with my mood, yours are just blue. I have natural nails with dry polish, you spend money to get acrylics put on and prefer gel polish. I have a dog who is getting used to the world I live in on his own time and you have a dog that enjoys car rides, has been groomed and vetted and walks on a leash. We're all different, we all have unique things about us that make us feel better about ourselves and our lives. Why compare what makes you happy to someone else's happiness? Why care what someone else thinks of how and why you do things. Easier asked than done right??

If you have followed me for any amount of time, you've most likely fallen in love with Louie. Although there are so many platforms that I've shared him on, I really wanted to have a place where I could share Louie's story on a more personal level. No judgements, no negativity, just Louie. Really share the things I have learned over the last 18 months that I never expected to, much like all of you.

I made his Instagram because friends on Facebook wanted more Louie pictures. And since I tend to take so many, just as a personal digital scrapbook, I figured that was the best place to start. I only shared it with those who were friends of mine, had a few random followers and was pretty pleased with myself that I was sharing his story and how it differs from others.

That day in June 2020 when I decided to share a story of how far we've come over the past year was just something I toyed with out of boredom. I didn't think he would have 10K followers in less than a week. I didn't think there would be 20K following him now in November and needing pupdates on a regular basis. I am so appreciative of that.

Here's the thing, because I have shared him on different platforms, I have been able to create a timeline, a family tree so to speak of Louie's past. I have met so many patient, honorable, sweet humans who have put Louie's life in their hands and have taken care of him over the years he's been walking the streets. I have been able to explain how I'm not the bad dog owner on my street who lets their dog wonder to create chaos in the surrounding neighborhoods. I am someone trying to help, like so many others before me.

Because of these platforms I have been able to share a different perspective on a "stray" dog. I have been able to share Louie in a way I never thought possible and really show people how different dogs stories are. I have given hope to strangers about their feral animals who have been hanging around their homes. I have shared happy stories about our progress and given people something to look forward to on bad days. I have made friends.

Louie teaches me patience, love, and to never give up. He teaches me something new about how animals take care of themselves. How they can find things we'd never think of for shelter, food and even tools to help with their grooming habits. I can't imagine rubbing myself against a bush to fix an itch or even comb my hair, I use a brush and a corner of the wall to do those things. Maybe you do the same or something similar. I've never seen him rub his tushie on the ground to fix his anal glands but who knows, he might be more private about those things.

I've read so many hateful comments, or people who are concerned for his well being but don't know how to express it without coming across as rude. A simple question is all it takes. A simple scroll to a previous photo or video. Humans don't have time for that I guess. We're in the middle of a pandemic and all people seem to worry about is Louie has some matted hair, except they don't have the time to scroll back two videos to see we know it's an issue but it's not the main concern. We're in the middle of a pandemic that is about to shut down the United States, possibly, and no one seems concerned that the current status is that humans don't get to go in with their pets for vet visits.

I am a patient, loving human of Louie's. One who wants to be there every step of the way. One that wants to be where I can be with him during potentially his first vet visit, even if he's sedated. I want to be there to ensure he's not alone, he's not scared when he wakes up. He's not met with unfamiliar faces and even so that he knows that I did that to him. I don't want him to believe that something happened and he was tricked into something I didn't think was best for him. I want him to know I'm always looking out for him.

I want the world to Be Kind to one another, not to compare, not to judge someone else's choices. I want the world to understand that there will always be someone who does things different than you. There will always be someone who is better at something than you. If Louie's story teaches you nothing else, it should teach you to BE KIND to one another.