My first companions were mixed-breed dogs—ordinary in name, extraordinary in presence. Then came a moment that shook my heart, one I was not ready to hold. After that, I did not keep a dog again for more than fifteen years. Life moved forward, quietly and carefully, as it sometimes must.
Today, I do not have a dog of my own. My home is small, and I choose not to keep one when I cannot offer the space they deserve. Instead, I share my affection freely—with stray dogs I meet along the way, with neighbors’ dogs who welcome familiar hands. Whenever someone nearby has a dog, I somehow find myself there too, smiling, kneeling, speaking in that softer voice people use without noticing.
Recently, there was a puppy.
A light golden, Labrador-mix puppy, about two months old—my neighbor’s dog. The moment I saw him, I nearly squealed. Happiness rushed in faster than I expected, overflowing into laughter and an unguarded smile. Labradors have always been the breed closest to my heart. I played with him every day. Slowly, quietly, familiarity took shape.
One morning, he began carrying my shoes away—and from that day on, every single morning, he would proudly grab them and dash off,
as if the day could not properly begin until my shoes had been joyfully stolen.
Now, that puppy has returned to the dog star—where all good dogs eventually go. And yet, my love for dogs has never lessened. If anything, it has grown gentler, deeper, and more enduring.
Before I became a writer, I lived many working lives. I have been a restaurant worker, a bookstore staff member, a representative for French organic skincare, a Facebook page administrator, an online clothing seller managing social media, a content writer collaborating with a pharmacist—and more than a few roles that taught me how people live, hope, and cope.
In the end, I returned to myself—and discovered that being a writer is what I love most.
I am a full-time freelance writer now. I did not complete a university degree. There was no field in Thailand that truly felt like mine. I once studied law, but it pressed heavily on my spirit. I am naturally cheerful, easily amused, quick to smile. Combined with economic challenges and health concerns, I chose to step away. If there had been a degree for writers, I would have enrolled without hesitation.
Thank you for choosing to read my words, written in this small corner of the world by someone who considers herself quite small as well. I hope you enjoy them. More than that, I hope you can feel the love, the softness, and the quiet joy that live between the lines.
