Today is my 18-month birthday, and I find myself reflecting on the time that has passed, wondering if anyone even remembers. Will you send me your wishes? I don’t know what a birthday is supposed to feel like, but I feel like I’ve been waiting for something special, something to let me know that today is different from the others.
For as long as I can remember, every day has felt much the same. I wake up to the sound of footsteps, sometimes to the scent of breakfast, sometimes not. I wag my tail and hope someone will notice, maybe give me a scratch behind the ears or a kind word. But, more often than not, I’m just here, waiting. My little heart doesn’t ask for much—just a little attention, a little love, a little something that lets me know I’m valued. But today… it’s different.
It’s supposed to be a celebration, right? A day when everyone gathers to celebrate how wonderful I am. But all I have are the usual quiet moments, with no one really paying attention. I know I’m just a dog, and maybe I shouldn’t expect too much, but on this special day, I can’t help but wish for something more.
I look at the other dogs in the shelter, and they seem just as hopeful. We all want the same thing—a home, love, a place where we belong. Maybe today will be different for them too. Maybe today, one of us will get lucky and find the family we’ve been waiting for. But it’s hard to hold onto that hope when every day feels the same. And yet, I keep wagging my tail, I keep hoping, because hope is all I have.
So here I am, sitting alone in my little corner, my paws resting on the cold floor, feeling the emptiness of the room. I know I’m not alone in the world. I know there are kind people out there, people who could love me, people who would celebrate my existence, but I don’t know if they’ll ever find me. And today, on my 18-month birthday, I wish they would.
So, will you send me your wishes? Just a simple “Happy Birthday” would be enough to remind me that I matter, that my existence has meaning. Maybe I’m just a dog in a shelter, but I’m also someone who deserves to feel loved, even if it’s just for today.
And maybe, just maybe, if I keep hoping, one day my wish will come true.
