Last Sunday was Jersey Girl’s 17th birthday.
Seventeen years.
As I watched her slowly make her way around the block this morning, stopping more often than she used to, walking a little more carefully than she once did, I couldn’t help but think about how much of my own life she has quietly witnessed.
When I brought her home, I was 36 years old.
I was single.
I was 14 years into building my real estate career alongside my mother, running SammyG’s Personalized Gifts, constantly working, constantly moving, and wondering what the future was going to look like.
Would I meet someone? Would I get married? Would I have children? Would I always feel this busy? Would I ever find the kind of life that felt truly fulfilling?
The funny part is that I wasn’t even a dog person.
As a child, I was the one who needed the dog put away before I would visit someone’s house. I couldn’t understand people who let dogs sleep in their beds or kissed them on the face.
Then one tiny puppy changed everything.
Looking back, I don’t think I realized what I actually needed.
Maybe I needed something to love.
Maybe I needed something that loved me back without conditions.
Maybe I needed to learn what caring for another living being really meant.
Owning a dog isn’t just the fun parts.
It’s sleepless nights.
Cleaning up accidents.
Changing your schedule.
Canceling plans.
Picking up poop… for seventeen years.
It’s learning that love isn’t convenient.
It’s consistent.
Over the years Jersey Girl watched every version of me.
She saw the exciting real estate deals.
The disappointing ones.
The tears after difficult days.
The clients who became lifelong friends.
The relationships that weren’t meant to last.
The dates that went nowhere.
The moments I questioned myself.
And she was there when life became more beautiful than I could have imagined.
She was there when I met Steve.
Sometimes I think she helped prepare me for that relationship.
Not because she introduced us.
But because she taught me how to love differently.
She taught me patience.
Responsibility.
Consistency.
Unconditional acceptance.
She taught me that love isn’t measured in grand gestures. It’s measured in showing up every single day.
Today her eyesight is challenged.
She is confused a lot.
She sometimes mistakes windows for doors.
She walks into walls.
She barks at corners.
She can’t manage stairs anymore.
Some days she’s slow.
Other days she still takes off like she’s a puppy.
And every single day she reminds me that a good life isn’t about avoiding aging. It’s about continuing to move, continuing to love, and continuing to find joy in the ordinary.
Working in real estate for more than three decades has shown me something similar.
People often believe the hardest chapters of life are simply endings.
A divorce.
The sale of a longtime family home.
The loss of a spouse.
Downsizing after decades in one place.
Those moments can feel devastating.
But time and again I’ve watched those chapters become the beginning of something people never imagined possible and this is exactly what keeps me doing what I do every day. Knowing I help those who feel like the world is dark see that little bit of sunshine grow every day!
A healthier relationship.
A new home that brings peace instead of stress.
More time with grandchildren.
New friendships.
New purpose.
Sometimes even finding love again.
Looking back now, I don’t think Jersey Girl came into my life because I wanted a dog.
I think she came into my life because I needed to become the person I was still growing into.
Life has a remarkable way of preparing us for what’s next, even when we don’t recognize it at the time.
Happy 17th birthday, Jersey Girl.
You were the best gift I ever bought myself.
But more importantly…
You helped shape the woman I eventually became.
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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation is unique and professional guidance should be sought based on your circumstances. To discuss your specific situation with Samantha Graff Benmor, Experienced Divorce Realtor and Advisor since 1995, please use the contact details above.
