Sam listened with kindness and said, “Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is walk away.” Buddy’s soft bark seemed to agree. By the time I left, something inside me had shifted. Sam handed me a note with a quote: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”

When I returned home, I wasn’t fully healed but felt lighter and began writing again. Later, I saw Sam and Buddy volunteering at an animal shelter and joined them. Buddy ran to me like I’d never left. Helping others helped me find myself again. Months later, when Sam invited me on another retreat, I said yes without hesitation. Buddy wasn’t just a dog; he was a guide who taught me healing starts with trust, kindness, and showing up.