Harmony

I LOVE my dog, Harmony. She is a four-year-old Miniature Golden Retriever. The Miniature Golden is a dog that has been bred from a Golden Retriever and a Cocker Spaniel. Harmony is 75% Golden and 25% Cocker. The reason this breed is gaining popularity is because of the beloved temperament of the Golden, with the smaller size of the Cocker. I first fell in love with Goldens when I met Kona, my friend Haylee's Golden. Kona was the sweetest dog I had ever been around!  He was lovable, affectionate, and a cuddler. I was determined to have a companion like that. After a few failed attempts at rescuing adult Goldens - one had such bad anxiety she broke her teeth off every time we crated her to go to work, and a different one developed cancer and passed away - we came across Harmony. Harmony is a retired breeder. She produced litters of puppies for several years until she was too old to do so anymore. So her owners didn't want her anymore and we adopted her. 

When I was going through dividing the assets from the marriage with my ex- husband, the one thing I adamantly wanted was Harmony. He could have his movie screen TV, Jaguar, and custom pool table - but Harmony was coming with me (and the Tempurpedic mattress - almost nothing is worse than a terrible mattress).  Incidentally he didn't care, so it was a nonissue. 

The other day as she and I were snuggled up on the couch, I started thinking about how much I could relate to her. She and I had both been discarded. We were easily replaced by people we thought we would be with forever. I wondered if her family had told her why they didn't want her anymore. Then I thought, which is worse - not knowing why you are not wanted anymore, or being told why and having your worst fears confirmed - you are inadequate and undesirable. 

Harmony and I aren't perfect. We both have saggy bellies from having babies. Neither of us are as active and "fun" as we used to be. We aren't as young as we used to be, which has resulted in a desire for a quieter "less exciting" lifestyle.  We both get our feelings hurt when we are yelled at. Sure there are things we could, and should, work on. I should exercise and eat healthier. Harmony should stop jumping on people and counter surfing. We both snore and drool a little when we sleep . . .

While I know we are both better off not being with people who don't want to be with us, the rejection still hurts. I did read a quote recently that I've been repeating to myself when I start negative self-talk: "You're not being rejected from something good; you're being redirected  to something better," Nicole Filla Crank.