Golden Girls Meant To Be

I love hearing stories of how owners met their pet for the first time and how they became part of the family because no matter how wild circumstances may be, it always comes down to a matter of fate. That’s how I would describe it when I got my golden girl Meera.

2020 was the hardest year of my life, as I’m sure it was for many others. I had lost both of my grandparents and by the very end of the year I lost my dog I had for 10 years. Her name was Minka. Unfortunately, due to unbalanced family dynamics I was unable to say my final goodbye to my sweet girl. It tore me to shreds and sent me into the worst depression I’d ever experienced.

Before anything happened, I had already set intentions on getting a puppy to raise on my own. I had been in a better financial situation and was ready to take on the responsibility. I began to search in November of 2020 and thought I had found a family who breeds golden retrievers. Unfortunately, it was a scam, and I was left with nothing. Then I lose Minka a month later.

It wasn’t until a friend of mine reached out and mentioned the family her sister got her golden from had just had another litter and I should reach out.

I was already so traumatized from everything I didn’t want to do anything.

What the heck it doesn’t hurt to try. So, I sent a message inquiring about a female golden. They quickly replied and said that all the puppies had already been accounted for but if their mama was to have another litter in the future, I’d be on the contact list. Boo…but okay, it is what it is, I told myself.

Go into the new year and I’m still grieving my Minka girl and the fact I wasn’t there with her in her last moments. I was just not okay. I wanted so badly to just crawl in a hole and never come out.

One day while I’m on my lunch break at work I’m scrolling through Instagram and I get a message from the golden page saying someone had backed out on a female golden last minute and if I was still interested. As excited as I was, I proceeded with caution and asked all the right questions and only gave a deposit! Not even a week later I’m driving to the other side of town to pick up my puppy.

"Is this really happening?" I kept asking myself.

They were in a parking lot of a Chick-Fil-A and it was a man and a woman holding three golden retriever puppies and other lady who pulls up and hops out of her car heading toward the puppies.

I immediately make eye contact with one and said to myself. “That’s her.”

“We’re gonna let her choose first because she gave her deposit first.” The owners said.

Not a problem, I can wait.

She held each one and when she held the one I laid eyes on I said in my head “no she’s mine,” and she gave her back and decided on another beautiful pupper and headed home.

“I wanna hold that one.” I said as I pointed at her.

“You knew as soon as you walked up didn’t you,” the owner said to me “I saw you eyeing her.”

We laughed as I held the other puppy.

I handed her back.

“Yeah she’s the one. I knew it.” As I put my arms out to grab the first pup. “I want her.”

We said our goodbyes as I expressed my extreme gratitude for my new baby, and we were headed home!

I sobbed the second I got home because I couldn’t believe it. It was so surreal; I couldn’t believe she was actually here. I did it. I got my puppy. She was mine and I was her human. That’s when we officially became the Golden Girls!

Meera has saved me in every possible way. She’s my cuddle buddy, my adventure partner, my protector, my emotional support…my everything. I don’t have children but she’s my baby, along with her feline siblings.

Every crappy thing leading up until that point just faded away into the background and I couldn’t help but think that Minka had something to do with the way the events unfolded. Meera was supposed to be living with another family but something in the universe made it so we would cross paths in this lifetime.

It’s been a year and I simultaneously grieve and celebrate the lives of these two beautiful dogs who have changed me for the better while continuing to bring so much joy into my life.

And that’s how I gained two angels at the same time.