Today's Words of Wisdom Wednesday was inspired by an unfortunate circumstance with one of my rescue dogs, Mollie. Mollie was suddenly taken away by the rescue organization where she was adopted because of claims related to her vegetarian diet. I was told that due to her diet, a veterinarian had diagnosed her with various health issues related to her kidneys and heart. Naturally, I asked for documentation to support these claims and when I was told they didn't have it, a battle was initiated between the rescue organization and myself.

After meeting with various attorneys, my sense of helplessness and desperation increased. Grief and loss overwhelmed me because despite the abundance of evidence that demonstrated their dishonesty, a sense of direction and victory was nowhere in-sight. Despite the circumstances, I refused to give up the search for our beloved Mollie, regardless of the advice we were initially given. Not allowing hope to leave my side is what fueled my determination because the only reality I was willing to accept was Mollie returning to her home.

As I reflect on other circumstances in my life where it appeared that I was defeated, I kept going anyway. What I've learned is that you can only lose when you give up. Falling flat on your face doesn't mean you've lost. But if you decide to stay face down, then you've lost the battle. Those that succeed and prevail are the ones that refuse to keep trying in the face of adversity. When you seek solutions instead of hanging onto an obstacle, you consciously choose to find a positive outcome. Therefore, it's no surprise that the people that have an end in-mind often find what they're looking for.

Mollie reinforced the importance of tenacity and determination by showing me that the love I have for her is far greater than any road block we may encounter. Her temporary (and unexpected) departure proved to me that once again, the only person that can determine when it's time to give up is you.

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