This time of year can be hard for a lot of people; memories of past heartbreak and anguish are likely to come up. Maybe you see Valentine’s Day as the perfect time to start anew and look for new love. But of course with that, you run the risk of rejection. Rejection is quite possibly one of the worst things in the world, but I assure you – there are varying degrees of it. It’s like ripping off a band-aid. The pain depends on how much hair you have or something like that. As we approach the holiday of love, I’ll take this opportunity to share my personal story of the worst rejection I have ever felt.

I was young and wide-eyed. My heart was full of nothing but love for this particular man. He was cute, fun to be around and had been with me through some of the hardest times in my life. He was my everything.

He was also a dog. My dog, in fact. His name was Johnny.

As much as I loved Johnny, he rejected me. One fateful day, I lured him in my room hoping he’d hang out with me. After a few short minutes, he was gone. I watched helplessly as he casually turned around and walked right out the door.

Just when I thought we had something going, he shut me down. My heart was still full of love for him, but I was guarded from then on.

I wasn’t willing to be burned again.

Basically what I’m trying to say is that all rejection hurts, but when you are rejected by your own pet, it cuts deep. Your entire physical being is filled with love and adoration for them, but sometimes they just don’t seem to care. It hurts, and I hate to tell you that the aching pain in your chest will never relent, but I’m here for you. We’re all in this together.