Anyone who has pets will really like this.  You'll like it even if you

don't and you may even decide you need one!

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.

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 above. 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. If you see someone without a smile today 

give them one of yours!  Live simply.  Love seriously.  Care 

deeply.  Speak kindly.  Leave the rest to a higher being!