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 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.

Inclusion is generous, but exclusion is selfish.