Letter to Lucy

Dear Lucy,

So we’re coming to the end of our first full calendar year together – hooray! But there’s something very significant about this year, and I think I owe it all to you.

What is it you ask? Well, even though I have had to take you to the vet quite a few times this year, I have never had to take myself to the doctor! This has been the very first full year of my life without illness!

I definitely think there’s something to be said about the fact that the first full year of owning a dog is also the first full year of perfect health. In fact, almost perfect happiness, too.

There have been many studies recently about the ways that owning a pet can benefit your life – and I’ve looked at them, and considered them. A lot of them even made lots of sense, but there has been a part of me that just, well, didn’t whole-heartedly believe them. But now, you’ve sort of made me living proof.

WebMD has put together a great slideshow of 27 Way Pets Can Improve Your Health. Slides 2 (mood enhancement), 6 (even though I may not have depression, petting you definitely makes me feel better when I’m feeling a little “blue”), and 10 (more interaction) definitely apply to my life. But the fact that your canine and feline friends can help so many people in need (like cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, diabetes and depression patients) is pretty amazing, if you ask me!

The New York Times’ wellness blog also ran a story about how having a dog can help a person in their overall fitness level. There are a lot of people in the country who struggle with morbid obesity, and even more who are just a bit out of shape, and according to Tara Parker-Pope’s “Forget the Treadmill. Get a Dog,” a canine companion can be motivating and encouraging for those of us who may be a bit too sedentary for our own good. Even just our daily walks have helped me maintain a healthy-ish lifestyle. Now if I could just cut out the daily chocolate croissant!

And finally, thanks to a great read from the American Psychological Association called “The Truth About Cats and Dogs,” I now know that you are a large part of my overall happiness during 2011.  Spending time with you is always loads of fun, and more importantly, full of love. And that you allow me to frequently bring other pups into our home and share my love with them, too, bolsters my confidence, self-esteem and pride.

So here’s to you, pup! And here’s to another year of perfect health and happiness!

I Love Lucy,

Josh