Lucky’s Love

from www.PositiveChristianity.net

Anyone who has pets will especially enjoy this story. Even if you don’t, you just might decide you need one.

Mary and her husband, Jim, had a dog named Lucky. Lucky was quite a character. Whenever they had friends stay for the weekend, they would warn them not to leave their luggage open—because Lucky would help himself to anything that caught his eye. Inevitably, someone would forget, and something would go missing.

 Mary or Jim would head to Lucky’s toy box in the basement, and there the missing treasure would be, tucked among all his favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in that box, and he was very particular about keeping his treasures there.

Then Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer. Deep down, she became convinced she was going to die. Though no one had said it was fatal, fear settled heavily on her shoulders as she scheduled a double mastectomy.

The night before she was to go to the hospital, she cuddled with Lucky. A painful thought struck her: What will happen to Lucky?

Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary’s dog through and through. If I die, she thought, Lucky will feel abandoned. He won’t understand that I didn’t want to leave him.

That thought saddened her even more than the thought of her own death.

The surgery was harder on Mary than her doctors had expected, and she remained in the hospital for over two weeks.

Jim faithfully took Lucky on his evening walks, but the little dog drooped, whining and miserable.

At last, the day came for Mary to return home. She was so exhausted she couldn’t even climb the stairs to her bedroom. Jim made her comfortable on the couch and let her rest.

Lucky stood nearby watching her, but he didn’t come when she called. Mary felt hurt, but sleep soon overtook her.

When she awoke, she was confused. She couldn’t move her head, and her body felt heavy and warm. Panic flickered—then quickly turned to laughter.

She was covered—literally blanketed—with every treasure Lucky owned.

While she slept, the grieving dog had made trip after trip to the basement, bringing her all his most cherished possessions. He had covered her with everything he loved most.

He had covered her with his love.

In that moment, Mary stopped dwelling on dying. Instead, she and Lucky began living again—walking a little farther together each day.

Twelve years have passed, and Mary remains cancer-free.

Lucky? He still steals treasures and stores them in his toy box. But Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Remember: live each day to the fullest.

And never forget—the people who truly make a difference in our lives are not those with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.

They are the ones who care.

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POSITIVE DAILY QUOTE:  

“There are stars whose radiance is visible on Earth though they have long been extinct. There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world though they are no longer among the living. These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark. They light the way for humankind.” - Hannah Senesh