By Karen Osborne | Catholic News Service

Last week, I was strolling along a bright avenue filled with restaurants and coffeehouses when I heard a funny little creaking noise coming from behind me.

The noise belonged to an amputee -- an adorable light brown dog with no back legs. He had been strapped by his owner into a bright pink homemade trailer, with two black plastic bicycle training wheels to replace the dog's feet.

As his owner jogged down the street, the dog stopped to excitedly sniff and greet sidewalk diners at a coffeehouse. His tail wagged excitedly. He was clearly having the time of his life and was completely unconcerned with the squeaking noise his trailer was making -- or the fact that he was strapped to a trailer at all.

The coffeehouse patrons responded with glee, petting him, scratching behind his ears and showering him with praise.

 "He doesn't even seem to notice the trailer," the dog's owner explained. "He just gets on with his life."

Whatever the poor little thing went through in the past, it had to have been traumatic. Maybe he'd been in a car accident or had been abused. On the boulevard that day, however, none of that seemed to matter to the dog, who soaked up affection like an excited little sponge and pulled himself along as if his missing legs weren't a problem.

We'd all be happier if we saw the world that way. The dog had impediments, but neither he nor his owner was letting that hold them back. The rest of us aren't so smart.

Everyone has a story, fights a personal battle and walks through the fire in his or her own way. Everyone has challenges. But humans are more likely to let those challenges be a burden rather than a learning experience.

Bad grades? We don't study harder. We just give up on going to a good college. Slow runner? We give up before the race even begins. Imperfect body? We hide under clothes that are big and baggy.

We spend our time hiding from life when we could be living it. We concentrate more on how we're held back and what others think instead of pursuing our dreams. Negative memories and experiences don't mean you have to hide from a bright, fun future.

I remember the little dog greeting people joyfully on the boulevard and immediately think of athletes in the Special Olympics, leaping and running and jumping, having incredible amounts of fun even though they have a disability. They're not held back by their problems.

Tell your troubles that they're not going to win and your issues that they're not going to hold you back. See the good in every situation. Get help from a smart friend, teacher or parent. Find your metaphorical "trailer" to hold you up, as the dog did.

Life is a lot more fun in the sun, out on the boulevard, than trapped in the darkness of despair.