It’s always the unexpected things in life that turn it upside down, for good. The things we underestimate, the moments we undervalue, the little everyday joys we overlook.

I never thought Bailey would become the center of my life. I wouldn’t say I have always wanted to have a dog, or any pet. Some days when I think about it, I wonder how God works in mysterious ways. He knows what you need, and paves ways for everything to fall in place accordingly. Now when I think about it, so much happened so Bailey could find his way to me, or for me to find my pal.

 The camera loves Bailey, and he loves it right back — always ready with the perfect pose

Bailey was just four weeks old when he came into my life. And like every pet parent, I’d say that he was the most adorable puppy I had laid eyes on. Beautiful, full of life. He is a golden retriever, so you can imagine the adorableness.

This is Bailey’s first picture, he’s only 4 w eeks old here

It felt like he needed me just as much as I needed him in life. From the first day, he loved sleeping on the couch in my room. 5 years later, that’s still his favorite spot.

Bailey’s fav couch

My mum and wife weren’t sure if having a pet was a good idea. Everyone who knows me know that I am a workaholic, you can call me a work addict. I forget the concept of time when it comes to my professional life, which means some days I am out of the house for 18–20 hours. So naturally, my family felt that the pet would get ignored. Deep down, I feared that too, a little.

But Bailey was meant to come in my life, and so he did.

He loves park or may be the grass.. I’m not so sure about this

I can sum up his impact on my life in one sentence, and that’s all about it. Since Bailey arrived, I have never felt lonely.

It’s amazing how he can sense my emotions, even before I do anything.

We have a routine. The moment I walk into the house, he comes running to me. The level of excitement has not faded one bit in all these years. Even if I go out a hundred times in a day, he welcomes me home with so much excitement, it’s beautiful.

“Some say a person cannot be happy without a dog”. I would never have believed it if I hadn’t had Bailey. The little guy lifts up my mood every day. The way he looks at me like I am his entire world, is a feeling so hard to describe. On days when I am sick, he stays around, sometimes trying to make me laugh with his silliness, and sometimes, just be around to look out for me.

We have our rituals. On weekends, we go to the park where we have made a lot of friends, some human, some furry. I think Bailey has a crush on Pixie, this adorable Shih Tzu.

Bailey and Pixie, just hanging out for a normal spa day.

We go on drives, and Bailey loves peaking out of the car, woofing at the street dogs. He is such a friendly fellow and loves hanging out. So, I am forced to go out with him. On my gloomy days, that really helps

Bailey being Simba from “The Lion King”

If not the window, he sits on my lap while I drive on the busiest roads of Karachi.

My wife, says she hasn’t seen me happier with anyone else the way I am with Bailey. My mum has come around too. She treats him every day now.

A few years ago, I had some of the toughest times of my life. The kind of days where you want to isolate yourself, not talk to anyone, and just sulk. It all feels like a dead end. Even then, Bailey was a constant. He would just fill my heart with love. I would feel a lingering sense of happiness and peace with him around.

One of the things he likes to do with me