Rescued from perfection

Adopting an animal means being comfortable with the idea of change, and I had always lived a controlled life. Childhood traumas had left me with a fear of sudden changes, so for much of my life I’d spent a great deal of energy and time creating the future that resided in my head. Once an image settled into my thoughts and I was comfortable with it, there was no deviation without distress.

So when I saw the beautiful year-old Great Pyrenees mix up for adoption, the image of our new life together dug itself into my consciousness. I drove to the shelter, only to find out he had been adopted over the holiday weekend. Heartbroken, I readied myself to leave, but my sister encouraged me to look at other dogs.

I had seen Aki’s picture before. One of his ears slightly bent, intense bronze eyes, deep sable coat—he was beautiful and he’d caught my eye. But an Akita mix wasn’t a training responsibility I wanted.

Having a dog had always been part of my plans. I’d grown up with dogs, but school and living situations hadn’t allowed for pets. Then, depressed by a stagnant job after a bad break-up, I knew it was time.

I felt the world spiraling in on me on the drive home with my new Husky- Akita mix. This was not the dog I had planned for. I’d made the decision too quickly. I’d made a mistake. What had I gotten myself into? And when the vomiting and horrible coughing started that evening, I was panicking, in tears about my spur-of-the-moment decision.

That was the first of many more trips to the vet over the next year. I expended much energy and patience learning how to teach manners to a stubborn Husky-Akita who had little prior training. I spent many nights taking care of him as he threw up (which it took me a year to figure out was a wheat allergy).

It happened so slowly, so quietly, that I didn’t even notice how close we had become. Aki learned to read my moods, glued himself to my side during my darker moments, slept on the bed when I was feeling lonely. His goofy antics and huge grin kept me laughing. He became my baby boy, my running buddy, and my goof. My future had not turned out as I had imagined—but better.

I cannot recall what spurred the lightning strike that brought instant clarity. I realized that with Aki, I’d faced surprise, uncertainty, and change. As stressful and painful as those moments had been, I’d not only come out the other side, but everything had turned out better than I could have imagined.

Aki was the teacher I needed to recognize the gifts that arrived over the next two years. My husband, for one, the kind of man I loved as a friend but would dismiss as romantic-partner material. Because of Aki, I saw past the ideals in my head and realized I was standing in front of the type of man I wanted to build a life with. This newfound courage to face the unknown even pushed me to quit my job and embark on my dream of becoming a writer. I have not once regretted it.

Bringing an animal into your life, your home, and your heart begins a chain of love and companionship unlike any other. For me, it brought so much more—not only acceptance of the unknown, but also the gifts that follow when you open yourself up to the crazy unpredictability of life.

Samantha Meyer Gallegos is a freelance writer, blogger, and food writer based in Albuquerque. She and her husband share their home and hearts with two wonderful mutts and an occasional visiting Doodle.

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