When I walked into the doggie viewing area at my local animal shelter, I was immediately overwhelmed by the sounds and the smells. (Every dog in the place was jumping and barking and I went into a kind of sensory overload). The dogs were located down a long aisle, with a double row of kennels on each side. Moving quickly so I could get out of there, I walked down this gauntlet, barely glancing in the cages. And then I saw her. A perfect little 12 week old puppy just sitting there. Not barking, not jumping, but just sitting. The bars on the kennels were vertical, running up and down, so in order to pet her, I had to slide my hand between them sideways, with an open palm. When I got my hand near her, she laid her cheek in my palm. And I knew right then… She was only with me for 14 years, but she changed my life forever.