Dr. Nick’s Reflection: Why I Wrote a Book About Mogwai and His Special Needs

I’ve always believed that differences are what make us unique, special, and truly extraordinary. They should be celebrated, not hidden. But I didn’t always feel that way.

Growing up, I knew what it was like to feel like I didn’t fit in. I was bullied because I didn’t fit a mold, because I wasn’t the ideal image of who people thought I should be. Society has a way of deciding what’s “normal” and pushing anything outside of that into the margins. If you’re different—if you don’t fit their narrow definition of who or what you should be—you become a target. I learned that firsthand.

The cruel words, the laughter at my expense, the feeling of being on the outside looking in—it left scars. When you’re a kid, being different isn’t always something to celebrate. Sometimes, it feels like a burden. Like something you should change, hide, or wish away. I remember feeling powerless, wishing I could just be what others expected so they would finally leave me alone. But no matter how hard I tried, I was still me. And for some people, that was enough of a reason to make my life miserable.

I survived the bullies, but I know others who didn’t. I know people who were pushed so far by the cruelty of this world that they believed the lies—that they weren’t enough, that their differences made them unworthy, that they didn’t belong. And that is a heartbreak that will never leave me. No one should feel like they don’t deserve kindness, like they aren’t worth love, like they have to change who they are just to be accepted. But the world doesn’t always make room for those who are different.

That’s why I wrote a book about Mogwai, my corgi with special needs. He isn’t like other dogs. Due to a form of Bell’s Palsy, he has one floppy ear, a droopy lip, and a right eye that never blinks. To some, those might seem like imperfections. But to me, they are what make him special. They are what make him Mogwai.

His story is one of acceptance, resilience, and the power of being authentically yourself. He isn’t trying to be anyone else. He isn’t trying to change to fit a mold. He is simply who he is, and that is enough. I want people to read his story and see themselves in him—to understand that being different isn’t something to overcome, but something to embrace.

Because the truth is, being kind isn’t hard. It doesn’t take effort to show love, to accept someone as they are, to treat others with respect. And yet, kindness is so often ignored. People choose cruelty. They choose judgment. They choose exclusion. And that choice can be devastating.

I hope Mogwai’s journey inspires others who feel like they don’t belong. I hope it reminds them that there is nothing wrong with being different. That the people who truly matter will love them for who they are, not who the world tells them they should be. That they are worthy. That they are enough.

This book is for every kid who has ever been bullied for being themselves. It’s for the adults who are still healing from the words that cut deep when they were young. It’s for the people who have been told they don’t fit, that they’re too much or not enough.

Because the truth is—you do belong. You are enough. And the world is better with you in it, exactly as you are.

That’s why I wrote this book. Not just to tell Mogwai’s story, but to remind everyone—young and old—that differences should never divide us. They should bring us together. Because being different is not just okay—it’s beautiful.