After my ex-wife and I split for reasons we won’t discuss here, I found myself alone, depressed and somewhat self destructive. I came home alone every night after work killing time until the next day. Sleep did not come easy but the drinks did and they went down smooth.
I knew this wasn’t the direction that I wanted to continue heading. I knew that I needed to care about someone and that someone needed to care about me. Unfortunately my attempt at the dating scene at the time had ended very, very badly. I was so scared of commitment that I couldn’t agree to a date to see a movie that came out the next week.
I threw myself into my work as web production specialist (I didn’t create the title). I worked long hours; I didn’t want to go home because at home I was alone. Well not entirely alone, I did keep Karma the Cat when the marriage went south and as awesome as he is a cat is not good company.
One of the web sites I had to work on for my job was The Maryland SPCA. I spent many afternoons working on and looking at that site. I would find myself looking at the dogs that were available for adoption. My ex took our dog Buddy in the split, as she should have, Buddy was always her dog and I would never dream of taking him from her. I missed having a dog, a cold nose, a warm and furry body sleeping at my feet.
I decided I needed a dog, so during one of my lunch breaks I walked down to the Maryland SPCA (yes I do work that close). I looked at some of the dogs, I liked some I didn’t like some and then I went back to work. For the next two weeks I kept checking the site to see what I could find and then I saw Max. Max was a boxer mix that was about a year old and very cute and I knew we were meant to be together.
Work had been a little slow and I had some vacation time so I decided to take time off and go adopt Max. I went to the SPCA and had them bring Max out to me. We went to a one of the runs and we played. He was full of puppy energy, he wanted to play and chew things and I knew that as great as I thought he was that I was not the right owner for him.
I went back inside and that’s where I saw Rocky, a Lab/ Shar Pei mix. I had seen him on the web site and had no interest in him but when I saw him standing in his cage something clicked. While all the other dogs were barking he just stood there wagging his tail, I didn’t know until later that he wasn’t feeling well.
I played with Rocky in the run and I knew that he was the right choice for me and I think Rocky knew that I was the right choice for him too. We were both lonely and wanted someone to love & love us back. I adopted Rocky & Rocky adopted me and we have been inseparable ever since. My entire life changed the day that I took Rocky home.
It took sometime after bringing Rocky home but I started to heal. I stopped working so late (in the office) and started finding reasons to not go out. I realized that for the first time in a long time I was actually happy. I started to deal with the emotional distress that occurred because my marriage ended. I decided that I was ready to date again and found myself lucky enough to be given a second chance by an amazing woman who I am crazy about (she may read my blog). Long and short of it but Rocky the Dog saved my life.
All I can say to you, my few readers is this, adopt a dog it will change your life. Don’t go buy a dog, adopt one, there are so many that need a warm and loving home. They aren’t broken, they aren’t defective, they just need someone to love and someone to let them love back. If you are in Baltimore, go to The Maryland SPCA and feel the warmth of a cold nose. You won’t regret it, I promise you that.
