Mia was in the middle of the highway, about to be run over by a car on October 2, 2018. The couple stopped the car, and Devi picked her up. They looked around for her mother but found no dogs or persons to whom they could hand her over. Soon she was sleeping snugly at Devi's feet in the car. They could not even make out if it was a male or female.
Some said she was some breed dog and said she is fluffy, some said she was an Indie. The couple had Mooi -their feline princess, 3 years old, very reclusive, and feisty. Trepidations followed. Then a half-hearted attempt to get someone to adopt Mia. And then it happened! Ramesh, dismissive and derisive of dogs and dog lovers, fell in love with her, head over heels!
A cat-lover transformed into a dog-lover almost overnight. The couple’s lifestyle in its hardware has not changed much, since then, except for the twice-a-day walks with Mia around the open spaces near the house. They were already accustomed to serving the feline princess Mooi, who by then took over as the feline queen of the home, as Mia gingerly stepped into her subservient (to the queen) role of the canine princess of their home. So now there is one more lady in the house to serve.
“But the software of our lifestyle changed tremendously. There is much more love, play, and laughter in the good times, and heartbreak, longing, and guilt when we have to leave Mia behind,” shared Devi.
Mia demonstrated unconditional love to the couple and unquestioning obedience to Mooi. She is an embodiment of love. “Not just towards us, but also every visitor to our home for the past 5 years. She is indeed the ambassador of the canine species, making it increasingly popular without even leveraging a Facebook or Instagram account,” laughed Devi while she explained.
Mia understands verbal and non-verbal cues and never takes for granted what they share with her. They call this behavior "permission marketing", which is to win over the other party by simply disarmingly allowing herself to be in a vulnerable unobtrusive position - standing at the door waiting to come in, or waiting at the dining table seeking goodies she can smell, or sitting and staring at them if she wants us to let her out!
Emotionally, now, they are always in love, thanks to Mia. Be it the reception the couple gets at the gate when they return after 1 hour or 1 week, or the greeting that they get every single morning at their bedside, or the naps peppered with mild snores in the middle of the day, or the excitement of going out when they reach out to her leash, or the frantic urge to go to the aid of her sister Mooi when she hears caterwauling outside the house. The sheer zest for life in all its shades that she depicts tells that joy resides within, not without.
Love, they say, is best expressed for it to be felt. Mia just spells love letter by letter, so clearly and unabashedly...making Mia the love of Ramesh's life.
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