I recently read one of my favorite blogs, Marking Our Territory by Will and Eko, and although I’ve never met them, I felt a sense of fellowship with Will.  Why?  He wrote that Eko, Will’s dog, is his anchor.  Alex, my pit bull mix girl, teaches me every day to appreciate the little things that I know would go unnoticed if she were not to be in my life.  I am a better person because of her, although to be quite honest if you were to ask Alex she’d say, “My mom is a work in progress,” and she’d be right.

If I were to try to enumerate all the things I do because of Alex, I’d probably have a nice thick book, but here are just a few of them:

• I don’t feel guilty about taking naps anymore
• I don’t go clubbing 3 times a week and instead I spend time at home with my girlfriend, Cynthia, our dogs Alex and Bella
• Cynthia and I argue every blue moon.  Before we had dogs, and this is the truth, we argued like cats and dogs
• I cook for Alex, and let me remind you that I hate to cook.  This is something Cynthia points out to me with a big smile on her face

Alex has been my canine companion for almost 12 years, and you know what?  I’ve been very lucky to have her in my life.  Will said that Eko is his anchor.  Well, Alex is the one being that finally got me to settle down, and that was something that I never thought would be possible.  A big thanks to all the dogs in my life for their love, loyalty, patience, and so much more.