Last year, my mother told me that I spent too much time on my phone. She was right. So when my friend Lily asked me to volunteer with her at the animal shelter near our town, I said yes, even though I was a little nervous.
On my first Saturday, the noise surprised me. More than forty dogs were barking at the same time. The manager, a calm woman named Dalia, gave me a pair of gloves and a bucket. “We start with the boring jobs,” she said with a smile. For two hours I cleaned cages and filled water bowls. By the end of the morning, my back hurt, but I felt useful.
After a few weeks, Dalia let me walk the dogs. My favorite was Cocoa, a brown dog with one torn ear. At first he was afraid of people and hid in the corner of his cage. I sat next to him every week and talked to him quietly. Slowly, he began to trust me. One day he put his head on my knee, and I almost cried.
In the spring, a young couple came to the shelter and fell in love with Cocoa. I was happy for him, but it was hard to say goodbye. Dalia told me, “This is the reason we are here. Every animal that finds a home makes room for another one.”
I still volunteer every Saturday. I have learned that patience is more important than strength, and that small actions can change a life. I also spend much less time on my phone now. I simply don't have time!