A GREAT (True) DOG  STORY

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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!