While this prompt may describe how my dream would benefit myself and the people around me, my dream affects a much larger group. My dream is to own an animal shelter, a place where not only abused, surrendered, misplaced, or unhealthy animals can go, but also a place where people can find a forever friend. I find animals to be better than humans because they show love without having a voice. Middle school is when I felt most connected to animals because I found myself becoming similar to them by not being able to find a voice for myself. During middle school, I found myself feeling isolated and helpless, too timid to use my voice to call for help. This led to a life-changing decision, followed by being hospitalized and later sent to a recovery facility. I remember waking up and feeling eternally grateful that I was unsuccessful. From that day forward, I have been an advocate for myself, speaking my mind and asking for help when I need it. I began to distance myself from the connection I once had with animals, particularly their lack of communication. However, I don’t believe this is a bad thing, because I’m not an animal. I learned to use my voice to communicate my needs. Animals are beyond inspiring and essential to humans, but as a society, we are becoming more selfish with our luxurious lifestyles when we could instead look to animals as a reminder of our unrealistic priorities. As someone with four dogs and no prior memory without my best friend, Eva, my schnauzer Jack Russell, whom my mom surprised my brother and me with 16 years ago, I have seen firsthand how much appreciation animals deserve. From hiking and playing in the backyard to now lounging around the house, blind as a bat, she has shown me that love can be demonstrated without verbal communication. Every day, I was greeted with more excitement than any other family member, knowing I was loved and had a purpose there. Some animals haven’t had the fortunate life my dogs have enjoyed, and this became a reality check for me about five years ago. While visiting a foreign country, instead of being greeted with excitement, I was welcomed by dogs, cats, cows, chickens, and pigs infected with sickness and despair. I left that vacation feeling something I had never felt before—knowing that no plane could fit as many animals as I could in my heart. I felt guilty, knowing I could return to my warm home while countless animals remained desperate. I know change needs to be made because, even as people become more focused on luxurious lifestyles, millions of animals still have hope in their hearts. People do have empathy for them, and I hope to be the gateway. To start this process in college, I plan on majoring in business so I understand what it takes to be successful in building an animal shelter, as well as minoring in zoology to gain hands-on experience with animals. I believe owning an animal shelter would not only benefit me personally but also create a ripple effect that extends throughout a broader community. I hope to inspire others to recognize the importance and compassion of all living beings. This shelter would be a reminder that fulfillment comes from selflessness. Fulfilling this goal would mean that, as a society, we could see beyond our selfish desires for luxury and focus on the bigger picture, beyond our species.