Since I have been talking about relationships for the past few weeks, I thought I would share about a member of my family. I was looking at my dog today, and I was reminded of how blessed I am to have her in my life. She stared at me with her beautiful little eyes. It is true what they say about a dog's eyes; when she looks at you, you can’t help but smile. Even though she is getting older, she has the energy of a puppy. Let me show you what she looks like.

I realized that my dog has known me for about half of my life. That is a long time. She has been around me for many accomplishments and has seen me through the highs and the lows. Despite all of this, every time I see her, I smile; she is the sweetest thing around. I love her dearly. People can't help but fall in love with her. She is member of my family.  She has taught me about unconditional love, forgiveness, always having fun, and living life to the fullest.  It is no wonder that they say, a dog is a person’s best friend.

My dog has seen me through my teenage years and into adulthood. I started thinking: Is she proud of the woman I became?

I think so, but dogs love you regardless :)

There are many advantages of owning a dog, such as: "Dogs provide us with a sense of emotional well-being thanks to the unconditional love they give us." - Purina

Do I see myself the way my dog sees me?  She has unconditional love for me; but do I have that and show it to myself?  During my teenage years, I was really tough on myself.

This thought inspired me to start a new series of postings: Lessons I would teach my younger self.

Hope you all are having a great start to your week. I am going to take my dog for a walk!

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.

See you at the beach!

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• Doc of the Day: My Dog: An Unconditional Love Story (daysofdocs.com)