It all began on a bitterly cold evening as I hurried across a grocery store parking lot, juggling bags of food and the worry of getting home late to my kids. My mind was crowded with everyday stresses, but everything stopped when I noticed a man seated on the curb. A German Shepherd was pressed tightly against him, both of them trembling in the icy wind. He quietly explained that he was a veteran and hadn’t eaten since the previous morning.
I normally keep my guard up, but something about the way he held his dog—protective, steady, desperate—made me pause. I turned back inside, bought a warm meal, water, and food for the dog, and handed it all to him without expecting anything in return. I thought it would be one small moment in my week. I had no idea how wrong I was. A month later, my boss burst out of his office looking furious. He ordered me inside and practically threw an envelope onto his desk.
