A little piece that may be published

..... On another blog site that is.

Humbled by Women Everywhere

From the ESL World to the MPA World

If someone told me eighteen months ago that I would be living in Memphis working at Memphis Animal Clinic, and volunteering with Memphis Pets Alive, I would have laughed. Until June of last year I was teaching ESL in South Korea. I knew I would depart later that summer to some emotional goodbyes, and then transition over to living in Eastern Europe for a little while.  I taught kids aged 3-8 years old, and was the only full time male teacher there at Harmony Language Institute. Being the only man is not such a bad thing, except when only three of the fifteen women can actually speak fluent English, it is another story. Good thing I was pretty close to fluent in the Korean language.

Those women worked at least ten hours more than I, and may have received half of the pay as myself. Did you know that the word value for humble when playing scrabble is 17? I went to work humbled every day, knowing that I was giving my heart and soul to those children just like my female Korean coworkers were. This reminds me of a group of women I know very well these days.

Fast forward to the present. After only learning of Memphis Pets Alive! six months ago, I have become what one might call an active member of the organization. Once a month there is that “mandatory” Saturday, where I assist in dog washing, or dog lifting. Once a week there is Wag Along Tuesday, where Miss Beth and I make sure that every stray dog gets just as good a shot as every health hold, and adoption room dog receive. I also assist in cat room activities, and ensure that the “adoptable” dogs are free of any health issues.

Today I received an email informing me that a certain brown pit bull had found her a new start in life. I was thanked for the wonderful photos, and the loads of animal rescue info that I provided.  Later in the afternoon I threw up a big fist pump (better than Tiger Woods), upon reading that email once again.  As I thought for a few minutes, I realized that sharing the big news would make the day of a few ladies too.  The women of Memphis Pets Alive!, (most importantly Miss Dani, and Miss Beth for their photography skills), were the reason that brown pit bull has a wonderful home with a mom, dad, and two kids.

Volunteering with Memphis Pets Alive!, and teaching English in South Korea are two experiences that one would think are totally different.  Shockingly enough, they tend to be more similar than they are different.  In the world of education there are a ton of amazing women that spend their lives touching so many little children. In the world of animal rescue there are a ton of amazing women that spend their lives touching others, especially touching the lives of the four legged (and sometimes three legged) critters they work so tirelessly to save.

I am so blessed and humbled to have been around so many amazing women, here with Memphis Pets Alive!, and on the other side of the globe, while teaching English in South Korea.

When you hear of the animals that get adopted at Memphis Animal Shelter, think of the ladies at Memphis Pets Alive!. When you hear of the beneficiaries of the Memphis Pets Alive! Pet Pantry, think of the ladies of MPA! When you go to sleep tonight with your rescue dog, think of all of those hard working ladies that made sure that dog became a rescue, especially the ladies of MPA!.