**Hug’s Birthday Tears**
Today is my birthday, but instead of feeling happy, I’m sitting alone, my heart heavy with sadness. My name is Hug, and I’m not like other dogs. I’m not perfect—I’m disabled. Some of my legs don’t work the way they should, and I can’t run and play like the other dogs I see in the park. They chase after balls and jump up to catch frisbees, their tails wagging with joy, while I watch from a distance, my body aching with the effort it takes just to stand.
I try to be brave, but it’s hard not to feel different, not to feel like something is missing. I see the way people look at me, their eyes filled with pity or, worse, indifference. They don’t see me for who I am; they only see what I can’t do. And that hurts more than anything.
Today, I wanted to feel special, to have someone tell me that it’s okay to be different, that I’m loved just the way I am. But instead, I’m here, crying quietly because I don’t feel like I belong. My fur is matted from lying on the ground, and my paws are sore from dragging myself along. I don’t want to cry, but the tears keep coming, and I can’t stop them.
I wish someone would hold me close and whisper that it’s alright to be imperfect, that even though I’m not like other dogs, I’m still worthy of love. I want to hear that I’m special, not because of what I can’t do, but because of who I am. I want to believe that, even with my disabilities, I have a place in this world.
As the day goes on, I curl up in a small patch of grass, hiding from the world. The sky is clear, and the sun is shining, but all I feel is the cold emptiness inside me. I wonder if there’s anyone out there who could love a dog like me, who would see beyond my flaws and disabilities, and just love me for being Hug.
Maybe one day, I’ll find someone who will give me the hug I’ve always wanted, someone who will see me, not for what I lack, but for the love I have to give. But today, I’ll just lie here, with tears in my eyes, wishing for a birthday where I don’t feel so alone, where I don’t have to cry because I’m not perfect.
Happy birthday to me, Hug, the dog who just wants to be loved for who I am.
