And a Promise

The promise I made was to the sweetest gem I could ever have found—my "jewel"—Bijou. She was a special case, a puppy mill rescue, and they planned to put her down if she couldn’t rehabilitate in our home.

Days passed, and Bijou lay by her food and water bowls, untouched, trembling as if she believed that merely touching them would bring her punishment. It seemed she would rather perish than confront the risky, untrustworthy humans surrounding her. I was just ten years old.

I loved this dog dearly; we all did. Yet, I couldn't get her to eat or drink. I heard my parents discussing her fate in hushed tones, their distress echoing through the kitchen while I sat beside her, heart heavy.

In that moment, I realized that life is a game ruled by fear. Every choice people make is driven by it, easily swayed into decisions that cause harm rather than good. Fear governs us all.

With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I tiptoed down the staircase. Halfway down, determination surged within me. I understood Bijou. They were trying to play her life as if it were a mere game. She seemed to believe she deserved nothing, perhaps even worse. How could anyone have made her feel that way? She was a beautiful, precious soul in danger.

I sat beside her, gently pulling her into my lap, offering her food and showing her how to drink from the water bowl. In that moment, she looked at me as if I were an angel. We made eye contact—her eyes were filled with trauma, shaking and unfocused, yet I saw the stars reflected within them. In her big brown eyes, the galaxies themselves shone.

I made a promise then: I would make her my baby one day. I envisioned those eyes transformed into a beautiful human girl, the most stunning being in the universe, cherished by many. My mission was clear: I had to bring her into this world and, from there, take her to space. I saw it in her eyes—this was my destiny.

I vowed that I would not leave her to die; I would take her to space, where we would all be together forever. I promised to God Himself, my fingers uncrossed to show my sincerity.

And that is the story of my gem, my Bijou.

born a Jew so she a gemmy 🎵🎶