It’s around 7:30am on October 17th and I’m running late for work. As I am rushing out the door, my phone buzzes. It’s a text message from my mom asking me to share a post about a 15-year old cat that is waiting to be adopted in a shelter in Long Island, NY. I open Facebook and my heart feels like it is breaking into a million pieces. I see a beautiful black cat with the most sad eyes. The post states he was surrendered by his former owner due to her own personal illness and is no longer able to care for him. My boyfriend, Matt and I were talking about adopting an animal for over a year, but I didn’t feel ready till now. I click the share button in hopes that Buttons will find his forever home, but in my heart, I know that I need to adopt him and give him the best golden years. I walk into work, my main priority for the day being to contact this shelter to get an adoption application. Everything is running smoothly. Matt agrees we should get him and the shelter calls me to tell me my application is approved and we can come meet Buttons on Saturday. My mind is telling me not to get my hopes up, but my heart knows this is meant to be.
Fast forward to Saturday, October 20th. Matt and I are on our way to go meet Buttons. I have his carrier in hand and butterflies in my stomach. I can’t wait to get our baby boy. We walk into the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter and it hits both of us, the feeling of pure heartbreak knowing how many animals need forever homes. Finally, after waiting for what seems like forever, a very friendly adoption advisor, Erin, greets us. She brings us over to Buttons’ cage and as she opens it, he greets us with purring and snuggles. I cannot believe this is finally happening. I am already in love with this beautiful creature. After long anticipation, he is finally given to us, ready to go home to start a new chapter. The beginning of his forever.
You’re probably reading this and wondering how my adoption story relates to Literary Lovers. Well, let me tell you...
Buttons’ story is a result of many people, including contributors of the literary world, coming together and working as a team. The adoption post was originally created by the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter. Their town rescue, Tuff Tails, shared it. It was then passed along by romance author, Jenna Galicki, who is a friend of people who work at Tuff Tails. Finally, my mom and romance author, Cleo Scornavacca, shared the post with me. Both Buttons and Literary Lovers came into my life at a time where I felt I was looking for more purpose. I had finished graduate school in December 2017 and landed a job as the first Exercise Physiologist in my rehabilitation department. I worked non-stop for the last two years to get through my final chapter of college and I finally made it. By the end of graduate school, I thought to myself, “now what?” I had all this free time on my hands, but no motivation to start any new hobbies. That’s when my mom approached me about writing reviews for Literary Lovers magazine.