Chances are, you’ve experienced it at some point: that split-second decision to veer off your usual path. Whether it’s a tweak to your morning coffee routine or an early departure from the office, even the slightest deviation in your daily rhythm can yield profound consequences.
Sometimes, these deviations lead to serendipitous encounters, a chance reunion with a long-lost friend or an unexpected revelation upon arriving home early from work.
But for Malissa Sergent Lewis, one such deviation altered the course of fate on a summer morning in 2016.
Running late for her job at an elementary school in Kentucky, Malissa opted for a less-traveled route, hoping to shave off a few precious minutes from her commute.
Little did she know, this decision would become a pivotal moment in her life.
As she traversed the quiet back roads, her eyes caught sight of an unusual sight: a solitary trash bag, its contents stirring.
“Did I just see that bag move?” she wondered, inching closer until the truth revealed itself, a living being trapped within.
With a mix of trepidation and compassion, Malissa approached the bag, recognizing that whatever lay inside had not ended up there by chance.
Gently tearing open the bag, she was met with an unexpected sight, a puppy, his tail wagging furiously at the sight of light and freedom.
It was clear that the pup had been callously discarded, left to fend for himself in the middle of the road.
Determined not to abandon the helpless creature, Malissa brought the puppy along to her classroom, where her son later whisked him away to safety.
After a visit to the vet for a check-up and vaccinations, the puppy found a new home with Malissa and her family, showered with the love and care he deserved.
Yet, amidst the joy of their newfound companionship, one question lingered: who could commit such a cruel act of abandonment?
In the absence of any leads or claims to the contrary, Malissa and her family embraced their new furry friend, offering him a second chance at life.
But the memory of that fateful morning serves as a stark reminder of the capacity for both cruelty and kindness that exists within us all.
As Malissa aptly reflects: “It’s a real coldhearted person to put an animal, any animal, in a garbage bag and dump it on the side of the road”.
In the face of such callousness, may acts of compassion and empathy prevail, lighting the way for a brighter, more humane future.