It was February in Michigan and outside raged one of our biggest snowfalls of the season. Preparing for the treacherous drive home from work, a voice spoke to my heart to drive to Lapeer County Animal Shelter in Lapeer, Michigan, USA.

You see, it had been four months since I lost my best friend Al, a cat that lived with me for 20 years. I was still grieving for Al, but a voice in my heart urged me to fill the hole of emptiness I felt.

I crept through the snow to get to the shelter knowing soon it would be their closing time. Arriving minutes before closing I asked if I could run in just to look at the cats. The worker let me, and I walked into the cat room.

I firmly believe that we don’t pick our pets, they pick us. So I excitedly went into the room to see which cat would pick me. I interacted with all the cats. I touched each one of them, tried to initiate play, but no cat seemed to really be interested at all. I was terribly disappointed. As I started to leave the room, I heard a loud and anxious meow behind me. I turned around and there was a tabby cat laying on his left side with his paw hanging out of his cage. He was frantically waving his paw at me to come over to him. Instantly we had bonded with each other, and I adopted him immediately. He picked ME!!! I named him Lenny and he has been a wonderful addition to our family.

I thank God every day for listening to that inner voice, and that paw that reached out and grabbed my heart and my attention.