Love, Love, Love, Love, Lily.

While I have never had a dog of my own, it has always been a dream of mine. When I put my head on the pillow at night, I dream of a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Crazy as it sounds, I’ve already picked out a name – Murphy. The closest thing I had to owning a dog was being around my Uncle Michael’s dog, Lily. 

Lily, still going strong at age 13, is a white teacup poodle with a heart of gold. My uncle moved to Arizona over 10 years ago, leaving the rest of his family who resided in Philadelphia. Lonely, in a brand new state, my Uncle thought it would be a great idea to get a dog to keep him company. It wasn’t until my family and I started flying to Arizona to visit my Uncle and Lily that we formed a special bond.  

Lily is special. She is a dog that seems to know and feel the emotions of the humans around her. For example, if I am sad when I have to leave Arizona, she knows to spend a little extra time with me before my departure. Also, anytime my Uncle is going away and has to leave Lily behind, she will sit on top of his suitcase, refusing to let him pack. 

This past school year, executive officers in my sorority, Sigma Kappa at the University of Delaware, were brainstorming ways for us all to de-stress before midterms and finals. They wanted an activity that would actually convince us to take a break from studying and not feel like our time — that should be spent studying — was being wasted. With that in mind, they thought of the one thing that can bring all people together- dogs. 

Fortunately, Delaware has a therapy dog program and we were all in. So the therapy dogs, along with dogs that belong to girls in my sorority, all gathered at our sorority house and ran around on the front lawn with us for three days straight. It was the perfect way to have us all interact with one another, get some fresh air, and clear our minds as we were heading into midterms and finals. 

Lily became a safe haven for not only my Uncle, but our entire family. In a way, she saved my Uncle’s life. He was battling his own demons, and Lily showed him that life isn’t all that bad. In fact, it’s beautiful. 

Watching the way Lily changed my Uncle’s life further proves the point that a dog is capable of having a huge impact on your family. For me, Lily represents love and a sense of comfort that I think anyone could benefit from.

I’m lucky enough to be working on the National Dog Show this summer through my summer internship with Vizion Group Public Relations. The show takes place annually at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, every November.

I am a rising senior now at Delaware and I feel privileged to share my story and promote the National Dog Show through my internship. I love Lily the way I will love my own dog someday and I look forward to watching the National Dog Show Presented by Purina on NBC on Thanksgiving Day! 

One Comment

Hannah Myers

Lily seems like such an extraordinary dog. Thank you for sharing your story! 🐾

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