Throughout my whole childhood, I had wanted one thing. Every birthday when I blew out the candles on my cake, I would close my eyes and make a wish that the stars had heard countless times before. Finally, on a whim, my mom adopted a puppy that I named Ginger. My wish had finally come true.
After the long awaited arrival of my first pet, I learned that having dogs would change my family. Dogs are the glue that holds families together. In a family with a dog, each person has something in common. Each person has a special relationship with the dog. The dog keeps all the secrets of the family members because a dog is loyal to the owner that treats it kindly. People have no problem talking to dogs when they are alone and need comfort. Whenever I come home from school thinking of grades, projects, and stress, Ginger sits by me while I stroke her fur and let out my steam. Somehow she knows what I’m thinking and exactly how to make me smile. Families of pet-lovers seem to have a certain sense of harmony. A family, however dysfunctional, can sit around a fireplace, with the dog in the center, and have a peaceful night with no chaos.
Another thing I learned about these placid creatures is that dogs also give people fresh starts. When my mom took Ginger home to her condo, she was introduced to a group of people with dogs that my mom never knew lived in the same area. Dogs don’t have a bias, so they will go up to anyone, wag their tails, and graciously receive a pet. Everyone fell in love with Ginger because she did exactly this. Because of her, my mom met a neighbor who gave her a job. Now she can go over to a friend’s house nearby one night and be content knowing that Ginger is laying by the door, waiting for her to come home.
When Ginger came into my life, my whole world turned inside out. But in a good way. My life before Ginger was disconnected and without purpose. Now my mom and dad get along better than they ever have before. They both now have something in common other than the fact that their genes reside in the same children: they both now have a pet of which they share their love. I believe that Ginger has brought my family together so we can sit around the fireplace, with Ginger in the center, and have a peaceful night with no chaos. I believe that dogs can unify families and bring friends together.