Share a photo of your pet and tell us one thing that makes them uniquely them.
My One-of-a-Kind Girl
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and every love is unique. For my dog, Sheena, I am honoured to have known her—she was truly one of a kind.
Sheena was a German Shepherd. Like all puppies, chewing was one of her favourite hobbies, followed closely by teasing her feline buddies. Torn carpets, ruined furniture, and chewed water hoses were almost her daily handiwork.
But these mischiefs were not her uniqueness. What made Sheena special were her regretful eyes and her sobbing, apologetic voice after she had done something wrong. Though she occasionally fell short of my expectations, her restraint was unusual—a quiet way of showing me she cared.
Of all her virtues, the one trait that made Sheena uniquely herself was her gentle obedience—to her master. She was a large dog whose strength doubled mine, and she could easily have knocked me down or hurt me during play. But she never did. Her approach was always soft and tender.
Sheena passed away thirty years ago, at the age of twelve. Her departure left me with tears and many sleepless nights. She had a good life, and she gave me twelve wonderful years of love and companionship. I was grateful that her departure was quick and painless.
Today, Sheena’s silly smiles, naughty tricks, regretful glances, and goofy devotion still linger with me. Everyone says German Shepherds are loyal to only one master—and I witnessed that unique loyalty on the very first day she arrived at my house. But she was more than faithful; she was affectionate and puppy-like, even well into her mature years.
Dogs are gifts from heaven. They are friendly, cuddly, and sometimes a little velcro-like. Whether they are born into a home or adopted, their ability to interact with and integrate into a family is truly awesome. They mirror some aspects of our lives.
As for me, I learned from my dog a lesson in humility: regardless of what position we hold—whether high or powerful—dominance does not make one a true winner. The art of wisdom is the art of love—and that means loving even those who may not seem to deserve it.
To honour Sheena’s uniqueness, I wrote the poem below, as a reminder to all humankind.
—
✨ Your Position ✨
People love dogs
because loyalty is their gift.
Some call their dogs masters;
some call them slaves.
But the dogs know their place clearly—
without confusion, without pride.
As for people—we so often forget.
Sheena never forgot.
She knew exactly who she was.
And in that knowing, she taught me
what it truly means to stand tall—
by standing low.
—
Scripture whispers what Sheena lived:
“The greatest among you will be your servant.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
—
en yan hua fang 