My Letter to Maya

Dear Maya,

You are a pain in the ass. You chew on things, you attack me with love when I come home, you are too big, clumsy, and your poop is prolific.  Nearly daily, however, I am reminded of why we got you.

The kids love you.

I hear the following in my house:

"Maya, you are the only one who understands me".

"Maya I love you so much"

"Maya you make me feel safe"

Yes, Maya, this is why I put up with you. 

You also let Matan climb all over you, and only occasionally growl at him.  I would have chewed his ear off by now if I were you.  

But the truth is I am a little jealous.

If I make a mistake, Sivan yells at me.  I no longer love her.  From the tone of her voice, I'm clearly a parental failure.  

When you....oh, I don't know....by accident bite one of them, or knock one of them over, the kids forgive you so quickly.  

What is it exactly that you do so right Maya? Is it your huge teeth that "catch" on our clothes and bodies? Your doggy stink?  Your absolute naive expression when you know you did something wrong?  Your adorable brown eyes? The fur that is about to end up everywhere when this long winter changes?

With you, Sivan feels more secure. Matan gains self-efficacy when he gets you to do some trick for him. They feel so special they own you and remind us that you are a member of our family.  But most of all Maya, you teach my kids to accept faults and to forgive.    

I hope that the love and acceptance that you are teaching my children is going to apply to non-furry mammals one day too :)

Sincerely, 

Yasmine