I’ve always been a keen believer in the English proverb, “Birds of a feather, flock together”.
Hope, Compassion, and Love - In this bustling and fast-paced world, these things refuel us, it brings us together towards the same vision, despite life’s indifferences and diversities.
My love and advocacy for Animal Welfare led me to work in an Animal Clinic. A clinic I worked for as an intern for my work immersion in Twelfth grade and a clinic we regularly visit for consultations.
Recently, I took part as a volunteer together with their team for the 2024 Lilas Pandan Festival in the Municipality of Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
On June 23-24, 2024, the community witnessed a remarkable act of compassion and service as the Clinic team, organized a free consultation, libreng Kapon (Spaying and Neutering service) to 33 felines and 28 canines from Calatrava, in collaboration with the Provincial Veterinary Office of Negros Occidental and the Municipal Agriculture Office of Calatrava, to ensure the overall wellbeing of the animals in the town of Calatrava.
Little did I know that working in a vet clinic for my work immersion would open doors for me to grow, and intertwine my love for writing and service. Working with the rest of the team was more than just learning the medical procedures, rather, it brought light to the impact Veterinarians have on the lives of animals and their human companions. It unraveled the reality that despite the universe’s uncertainties and our indifferences, there lies lives waiting to be saved, and minds yet to be inspired through one’s compassion and love.
Seeing how they work brings out a sense of nostalgia and assurance in knowing I chose the right path. As I recall the first few pages of my journey through Veterinary Medicine, I do so with gratefulness and pride because, in today’s time, it is rare to find a support system that guides, encourages, and brings out the best in you. However, I was in luck, because I found mine in a clinic, filled with diverse individuals, equipped to work towards the same goal.
Aside from being a mere coincidence, I’d like to think that fate brought me to a vet clinic where I sought comfort and warmth. Aside from being a testament to our love for Animal Welfare, the experience in the 2024 Lilas Pandan Festival has been my keepsake of how Hope, Compassion, and Love can break barriers and build bridges between hearts and paws.
Together again, someday, in six years.