They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but that’s not true for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love sparkle as much as the next girl, but what I really love is *Sparkle*, my pet cat. (Yes, the asterisks are part of her name.) I adopted her from a pet rescue, and we instantly bonded. Timid and shy around strangers, she loves to cozy up to me and nuzzle her little face to mine as if I am the only person she truly trusts.
And speaking of best friends, I don’t know what I would do without my little Shih-Tzu, Beckham (aka Liddle Becks). Every time I look at him, I swear it’s like I can hear what his voice would sound like if he were human (a slightly obnoxious three-year-old child with a stuffy nose that ends every sentence with an eager, “Right, Mom?”). He even has his own theme song that my friends and I like to sing at high volume. And, of course, he has a Facebook fan page where “he” posts about what trouble he got into that day. (I used to dress him up, but he’s a bit self conscious about his weight these days, so I dress *Sparkle* up instead.)Some may hear me say that and think, “Uh oh! Single lady on the verge of becoming the 90-year-old crazy pet lady with 19 cats and 10 dogs who never leaves her house!”
But I wouldn’t be too worried about that. (Anyone who reads this column knows that I’m not exactly in danger of becoming a homebody!) Besides, these pets—or my “kids” as I call them—actually keep me sane. They are my roomies, my exercise partners, my confidantes, my playmates. Heck, they even snuggle up in bed with me! (Thankfully, Liddle Becks isn’t a snorer.) And in a strange way, they have actually set an example for the men in my life to follow. Okay, I’ll explain. . . .
What I love about my relationship with Becks is that it’s unconditional. I can be in a bad mood or frustrated, and all he wants to do is love me. Even if I go all day without seeing him (thank you, Dad, for being an awesome grandpa and walking him when I’m gone), he isn’t mad at me.
As for *Sparkle*? As a single woman, it can be nice to have someone depend on me thoroughly the way she does. She makes me feel so needed.
So yes, these two exhibit a lot of what I want in a romantic relationship. No, I don’t want a lap dog, or a man who acts like my pet. I just want someone who loves me unconditionally. Who understands that my schedule is crazy and just enjoys the time we have together rather than snapping at me for coming home so late. Who is protective of me, but loves the people that I love. Someone who trusts me. And best of all, someone who, when I take him outside, doesn’t need to be on a leash. (He comes back to me because he wants to, not because I am tugging on a chain around his neck. Hint-hint.)
So remember ladies, while diamonds may shine and last forever, they aren’t the company you want next to you when you are sick. And they certainly won’t go get your slippers for you.
