by Joe Iadanza

It’s been said that falling in love is like owning a dog…
But marriage? Marriage is like living with that dog forever.

It’s not all belly rubs and tail wags.
You don’t just fall in love with it—you adopt it for life.
You’ve got to feed it, train it, clean up after it,
and occasionally stop it from chewing on the furniture—or on each other.

Marriage, like a dog, wakes you up in the middle of the night.
Not always for a good reason.
Sometimes it just needs to be near you.
Marriage asks for your time, your patience, and your whole heart.

It follows you from room to room,
sits too close when you’re busy,
and somehow knows when you’re sad.
It nudges your hand until you remember:
Oh, right—this is love.

It drags you into interactions you didn’t mean to have
and introduces you to people you’d never meet otherwise.
It can make a mess, sure—
But it also brings things back you thought were lost: laughter, forgiveness, joy.

And the best part?
No matter how weird, loud, chaotic, or muddy life gets,
Marriage—like a good dog— is always happy to see you come home.