A GREAT (TRUE) DOG STORY
Anyone who has pets will appreciate this…
Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.' Lucky was a real
character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they
would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would
help himself to whatever struck his fancy.
Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing. Mary
or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure
would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his
finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the
box.
It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her
she was going to die of this disease....in fact, she was just sure it was
fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.
The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A
thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old
dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will
be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave
him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.
The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated
and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening
walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.
Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home,
Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom.
Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.
Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made
Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.
Later, when Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong.
She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon
gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered,
literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept,
the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his
beloved mistress all his favorite things in life He had covered her with his
love.
Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking
further and further together every day.
It's been 12 years now, and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still
steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his
greatest treasure.
Remember....live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from
God. And never forget....the people who make a difference in our lives are
not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.
They are the ones that care for us.
Especially the four-legged ones! |
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