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 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 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…..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.
A heart-warming story. There are few relationships in life more rewarding than those between man and his dog. Dogs love us deeply and unquestioningly, ask little in return. Consider the following:
“There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.” – Vern Williams
“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault really.”
- Agnes Sligh Turnbull
“My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.” -Unknown
oh my gosh… is this for real? This is incredible. Makes me want to go get a dog… oh wait.. I’m already lucky, because I have two!!!
Cathy
Beautiful story. Dogs were a big part of my life growing up and later raising my own family. One story I’ll share was in my teen years our family had two dogs – one a female Springer Spaniel named Sally, and one a mutt about 1/2 Sally’s size. The little dog (for some reason I can’t remember his name – couldn’t be my age!) followed Sally everywhere and would do Sally’s bidding anytime. Sally would park the little dog at the front door while she guarded the back and they would bark the signal whenever anyone came to either door so they could both be let in. Sally lived to a ripe old age. One time Sally was missing and my brothers were frantic (I guess we all were) – one of the boys traced the trail all the way from town to our cottage (about 15 miles) and found Sally tied up in some farmer’s yard. Needless to say we were all relieved to find her. We found out she knew her way back and forth 15 miles to our cottage from town and that time just couldn’t quite make it!!! A wonderful dog that made life interesting for a family of six kids.