I’ve always been different. While the other dogs have shiny, soft coats and bright, soulful eyes, my fur is patchy and matted. I don’t have the beauty that makes people stop and smile when they see me. My coat is uneven, with spots of different colors that seem to clash. I’ve often heard the whispers of humans when they pass by me, the way their eyes avoid mine, as though I’m invisible. They glance at me, but they don’t really see me. They never stop to pet me, to tell me I’m loved, or that I’m special.
Today is my birthday. Another year has passed, and once again, I find myself sitting here, waiting in silence. There’s no cake, no celebration, no one to tell me that they’re happy I was born. All I feel is the emptiness that fills the space around me. I wish someone would notice me, just once. I wish someone would say, “Happy birthday, little one,” and hold me close, showing me that I matter.
But instead, I sit here alone. The world continues to move on, while I remain forgotten. My human family is busy with their own lives, and I am left in the corner, unnoticed, just as I always am. They don’t know how much I long for their attention. They don’t know how my heart aches when they forget about me, when they pass me by without a second glance.
I try to wag my tail when I see them, hoping that maybe, just maybe, they’ll take a moment to acknowledge me. But they don’t. They never do. I’m not like the other dogs that get all the attention. I’m not the cute one with the fluffy fur or the playful one that everyone adores. I’m the one who gets overlooked, the one who’s left out. And today, on my birthday, it’s no different.
I can’t help but wonder: Why am I not good enough? Why don’t they care about me? Is it because I’m not attractive? Is it because my coat isn’t perfect, because I’m not the dog everyone wants to take home? I’ve spent so much of my life wondering what it would be like to feel loved, to feel wanted. But the answer always eludes me, just like today.
The other dogs around me seem to get so much love. I watch them as they run to their humans, tails wagging, being showered with affection and attention. And I… I sit quietly in the background, hoping for even the smallest bit of kindness. But it never comes. I know they don’t mean to ignore me, but they do. And it hurts.
It’s hard not to feel a little bitter. It’s hard not to let the sadness take over. Every year, I wait for something to change, but nothing ever does. Every year, I hope that maybe this time, someone will remember me. But every year, I’m disappointed.
I can’t even look at myself in the mirror without feeling ashamed of how I look. I’ve never felt beautiful, and I’ve never felt worthy of love. I see the other dogs being adored and treated like treasures, while I’m left to sit in the shadows. But on my birthday, of all days, I just wish someone would see me for who I am, not for how I look. I may not have a perfect coat or bright eyes, but I have a heart full of love to give. And yet, no one seems to care.
As the day goes on, I find myself growing weary of the silence, of the loneliness. I wonder if I’ll ever be someone’s “good boy,” if I’ll ever have a family that wants me, that celebrates me, not just for one day, but for every day. Maybe one day, someone will see me and realize that I’m worth loving, that my imperfections don’t make me any less deserving of affection. But for now, I’ll hold on to that hope, no matter how small it may be.
Today, on my birthday, I may not get the love I long for, but I will continue to dream. I will continue to wait for the day when someone finally notices me, when someone tells me I’m special, just the way I am. Until then, I’ll hold on to that flicker of hope in my heart and keep waiting, even if the world continues to pass me by. Because deep down, I know I’m worth it.
