Karma is a Dog, Actually.
In honor of Karmie’s fifth birthday: how I accidentally manifested my karma to a Taylor Swift song and found my best friend. ♡
In honor of Miss Karmie’s fifth birthday, I thought it was finally time to tell you the story of how I adopted this fluffy princess. I don’t know if it was a manifestation, fate, karma — or all three, and I know this story might sound a little woo-woo, but the story of how I ended up with my Karma is still the most magical thing that’s happened to me.
It’s fall 2022 — Taylor Swift has just released her Midnights album, so naturally that was the only thing I had been nonstop listening to for days. In typical princess passenger fashion, I was in charge of the aux as my ex chauffeured me home from a day of shopping when the line “Karma is a cat, sitting in my lap cuz it loves me” started blaring.
“Taylor should get a cat and name it Karma,” I joked.
“Or you could get a cat and name it Karma,” he suggested. And that’s when it dawned on me. My dad was allergic to pets so we never had a pet growing up, but two months ago, I had just moved into my own apartment — my house, my rules… I could adopt a pet.
My ex saw the wheels beginning to spin in my mind and immediately backpedaled, saying he was allergic to cats so I’d have to get a dog. To which I said, “If I’m getting a dog, it has to be a shih tzu.”
I had always been terrified of dogs having gotten chased by them and a traumatic experience of a dog eating cake out of my lap in my youth, except for my neighbors sweet, little shih tzu, Freddie. I remember running up the hill to go visit him as a child, always making sure I snuck Snausages (his favorite treat) in my mom’s shopping cart for him, and gifting him a little pig toy, which I still have photos of him cuddling up to him in my adult apartment even now. If I were to adopt any dog — it was going to be a shih tzu, in honor of my late childhood friend.
“Well, what color?” He asked.
“Definitely white and fluffy, maybe with some tan spots.”
“How old? You don’t want a puppy, right, that’s a lot of work?”
“Definitely not a puppy, but not too old either. Maybe like 1 or 2 years old, young enough, but not fresh out of the womb. And I could name her Karma! Or Karmie for short!”
“Well, do you want a boy or girl?”
“Definitely a girl, female energy only in my apartment.”
Adopting a shih tzu became my new obsession. I remember sitting at work telling skeptical coworkers of my new goal, them weary I wasn’t ready or financially prepared. Yet, I sat on breaks scrolling through adoption websites, looking at all the listings for shih tzus — but none of them were in the age range or had fluffy white fur. I eventually gave up. If it happens, it’ll happen, and I’ll find the right pup for me. So I decided to just leave it up to the universe.
The next day, I receive a screenshot from my ex’s family group chat where his sister had sent a photo of a white fluffy, female shih tzu, 1.5 years old looking for a home. “Is this Karmie?” the text accompanying it read.
I remember staring at my phone wide-eyed in disbelief, screaming. A few days ago, this was just a rear-view window dream, but it was closer than I could have ever imagined. “YESS! THAT’S MY KARMIE!” I texted back.
Unfortunately for me, my years of trying to convince my ex that I was a witch just to spook him had actually backfired because in that moment, he truly believed it. “How did you do this?” He asked, and I found myself wondering the exact same thing.
$500 worth of supplies at the pet store and a couple weeks later, we finally took the road trip down to pick up Karmie from his sister. It was both the best and worst day of my life. Two days prior to the trip, I had found out that I was not the only girl in this ex’s life, and now I was trapped in the car with him. I won’t lie, I was “crashing out” a little bit, as the kids would say. I was avoiding absolutely everyone in my life’s calls and texts. Everyone texting me saying “Please tell me you did not get in the car with this boy,” to which my lack of response completely confirmed I had, indeed, trapped myself in a vehicle with him for 24 hours.
There was awkward silence, forced laughter, and me just counting down the minutes, dreaming of what it would be like to meet Miss Karmie.
Not to mention on the trip down, through spotty internet connection, I impulsively put $2,000 on my dad’s credit card for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour tickets. Which led to another call I definitely declined on the trip down. That was future me’s problem.
But none of it mattered, when eight hours later, I finally stepped out of the car screaming “Karmie!” to a dog who had been previously named Nunu, but somehow responded and knew her new name right away.
And just like that, I had a new furry companion.
Karmie was a rescue. I brought her home, and put her in her pen. Crate training lasted all of two days before I couldn’t take her heart-breaking whimpers anymore and let her sleep next to me. She had me wrapped around her paw right from the get-go.
When I first got her, she was insanely skinny, anxious, and had a bite mark on her back. At the time, I was also insanely skinny and anxious due to my lack of regularly eating meals. She refused to eat kibble. So I decided to sit criss-cross apple sauce on the floor next to her and eat my takeout, until she slowly just started eating with me. We became meal buddies, encouraging one another to eat.
Four years later, we’re both a healthy weight and still enjoy sitting on the floor together, sharing French fries (unsalted for her, of course).
I read somewhere that you make soul-contracts with your pet and they’ll come into your life right when you needed them. Maybe that sounds a little woo-woo, but not long after I brought Karmie home, I asked the ex to drop off my key and that was that.
I’m not sure whom rescued whom, but somewhere in the last four years, Karmie taught me what unconditional love and loyalty truly looks like. We’ve regulated each other’s anxieties, fixed our diets, gone for numerous coffee adventures together, and even learned how to paint together. Not to mention the times I’ve dyed the ends of her tail and the ends of my hair matching hues of pink.
After a wishful conversation, I ended up with my best friend for the last four years. So, I don’t know, maybe I manifested her. Maybe it was fate. Maybe she was my good karma for putting up with that ex. All I know is, everything works out just how it’s supposed to, and I’m beyond grateful to come home every night to her little tag wagging at me.
Today, we celebrated her fifth birthday with some pup cups, walks, treats, a visit from her Grammy and Grandpaw, and a special cheesy-salmon-broccoli dog-safe birthday dinner. They truly do grow up so fast, and I’m excited for the many, many more years full of love, laughs, and fluff with this sweet, chaotic, little princess.
Happy birthday, Karmie! ♡
And to think I almost didn’t go on that road trip, but I took a leap and got my karma.
I’m 26 and I quit drinking.
When a pin pops the balloon of hope and confetti of reality comes falling down, it’s times like these I could really use a drink. A little red wine and the Red album drowning out the racing thoughts in my head or a cold old-fashioned in my hand while staring out the window sounds like the ideal band-aid to all my woes, but unfortunately for me, I quit …
My dog just committed murder.
There are two things my dog, Karmie, holds sacred in this world — her Grammy and her collection of “Grammy” ropes. And they were threatened tonight.
