May 6, 2025: The Golden Vote

It happened in an unexpected way.

Several years ago, we rushed to find a new home after selling ours quicker than expected. With a list of neighborhoods in hand, we decided to rent while hunting for the perfect place.

But things didn’t go as planned. Every promising rental denied us for one specific reason:

Carolina. Our one-year-old golden retriever, full of fluff and love.

The landlords saw only a pet policy violation, and rejections rolled in. Out of options, we finally found a listing thirty minutes away in Williamsburg. And thankfully, this owner allowed pets. We loved the property and signed the lease immediately.

Seven years later, we're still here. After renting for a while, we bought the home. And we never would have chosen this neighborhood or this chapter of life without paw prints leading the way.

Carolina passed away a year later from kidney issues, but her mission was complete. Her presence set our family on a fresh path in a different city.

Funny how life pivots on something as random as a landlord policy — and a furry four-legger. That thought hit me today while reading about the process of choosing the next pope.

Cardinals lock themselves in the Sistine Chapel without electronic devices. Vowed to secrecy, they vote by handwritten ballots, and after each round, the papers are burned. Black smoke means no decision, while white smoke signals a successful election.

Transitions come in all forms.

Cardinals have their fancy conclave. But us? We just had a dog.