>>> Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if
>>> you don't and may decide you need one.
>>>
>>> Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, 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 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, 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, 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 night.
>>> 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...live everyday to the fullest.
>>> Remember it is a blessing from God.
>>> The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with
>>> the
>>> most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the
ones
>>> that care.
>>>
>>> "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some
>>> kind of battle."
