Ancient Egyptians Used to Worship Cats, You Know

I never was a cat person, preferring man's best friend. Over the past 6 months, I have gotten to know a different kind of dog. Her name is Lola (if you are over 50, you immediately start singing: "she was a showgirl.") 

If you have looked at my book website, you might remember her as The Dawgy Lama. But this is not about her alter ego, it is simply about her being a dog.

Why is this significant? We all have alter egos. We choose to reside in them when hiding, working, or if needed, when spending time with family during the Holidays. But Lola doesn't ever choose to be anything but herself.

She wants to do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it: eat, go outside to do her business, get some exercise, snuggle up and get some petting time, or simply find the softest spot for sleeping. It's not complicated and often it's entertaining. I have always envied this behavior and marveled at the grip dogs have on their owners. It's a dog's life.

How is your alter ego? Have you changed it during your lifetime? Does it have a name? When do you escape to be inside that altered-ness? My first kids book is about "trying on new hats" in order to find you voice and figure out who you really want to be. But your alter ego is different. 

This is a part of you that you find or develop to become a better salesperson or to be a better grown-up child to an elder parent. It is a way to get over stage fright if you are an entertainer or to simply put on a "mask" to survive loss, change, pain, or heartache. 

Wait, we just got back from Lola's daily 4:00 walk and I remembered Lola is actually a black lab in a 12 lb. body. She's strong and strong-minded, likes big dogs, dislikes little dogs, is cool to strangers, but loving to those that have been accepted into her circle. I like Lola for all these reasons and she seems to like me. Good thing she doesn't know my alter ego is a cat. (Keep a look-out for my next Blog Post - Why am I Like a Cat?)

al·ter e·go

  [

awl-ter ee-goh]

noun

1.

a second self; a perfect substitute 

2.

an inseparable friend.

3.

another aspect of one's self.

Origin: 
1530–40;  < Latin  (Cicero), probably translation of Greek állos egṓ,héteros egṓ  another "I"