Love me Like the Dog You Are!!

Just when I'd almost given up love found me.

Being single in 2026 is not easy. It is an adventure and a roller coaster that can be a hilarious ride, creating plenty of funny stories worth sharing. While simultaneously, being a ride that just leaves you motion sick from all the ups and downs.

I lean into the funny mishaps and ridiculous moments because laughter is the best medicine and if you can't laugh about it, you might just cry.

But after sifting through the ashes of all the burned-up possibilities, I think I found my partner. I have never had anyone as happy to see me when I get home. Practically jumping out of their skin to see me, smothering me in love and kisses. Always following me around the house with clear joy that I am home.

At first, I was not the biggest fan.

This neediness was an extra thing on my plate, and I had no room for another thing. Even following me to the bathroom because apparently privacy is no longer one of my constitutional rights.

If I leave home for twenty minutes, I return to a homecoming normally reserved for soldiers returning from war. Even when I look like absolute hell, I get looks of adoration like I am Miss America.

I can't move from my spot on the sofa or walk to the kitchen without being fondly accompanied to ensure I don't go too far on my own. No one can come near me without being met with fierce protectiveness.

Rarely is there a night that goes by that I am not guarded with the utmost care. I sleep on the far side of the bed so that I am not the one closest to the door if an intruder enters. God help anyone who dares enter because they will be met with alarming aggressiveness.

I get more snuggling and cuddling than I ever have, and there is never any complaining. My secrets are safe, locked in the vault of trust. If I cry or get upset, I just get more kisses and snuggles to comfort me. Even when I am not too doting or attentive, the affection keeps on coming.

I can serve the same food for weeks on end and leave the house a mess, and nothing deters this devotion and affection. I can gain weight, eat ice cream for dinner, or forget to get grocery store essentials, and I am still met with unwavering love.

I can hang my bra on the doorknob or take up all the space in the shower with my self-care products and never hear a thing about it.

There is no ghosting or submarining. No gaslighting or lies. No fickle friendships or fake affection.

I do believe I have found one who has never disappointed or been dissuaded.

And all this from a situationship I never wanted in the beginning.

Well, I am glad I finally relented and accepted all this love that was just waiting to be given.

There is just one little thing keeping this from being perfect.

This love is of the K-9 persuasion.

So here is my request, my prayer, and my hope: If a man eventually finds his way into my heart and my life, go ahead and LOVE ME LIKE A DOG!

Follow me around. Spending time together is the bedrock of a relationship.

Miss me when I am gone. If you don't miss me when I am gone, then you probably don't appreciate me enough when we are together.

Be ridiculously happy when I walk through the door. If you aren't happy to see the one you care about, I think you should dig a little deeper and ask yourself why.

Love me without worrying about who loved whom first or constantly comparing parts of our pasts. Learning from the past can be a great tool to keep from repeating mistakes, but living in the past can prevent you from moving forward. If you are always looking in the rearview mirror, you won't be able to appreciate what is right in front of you.

Be protective of me and our relationship, and put a barrier of prayer and safety around us. People and circumstances will try to crowd your relationship, and no one can safeguard it except the two people in it.

If you love someone, protect them like a treasure that could be stolen. Good partners are hard to find, and there are predators in the least likely places.

And last but certainly not least...

Stay out of the trash and don't lick yourself in public.

Southern ladies do have standards!!

And for the record, I'm not asking for anything that I wouldn't give right back. I want to show up, love hard, be loyal, forgive the imperfect moments, and make the person I love feel wanted, appreciated, and chosen too. Because maybe that's what we're really looking for -- not just someone who loves us well, but someone whose love makes us want to love them just as well in return.