Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A Dog named "Lucky"

I received an email from my wonderful leader and founder of the Changi Prison Speechcraft, DTM Michael Rodrigues. Mike always sends me emails on dogs as he knows I am an animal lover.

Everyday I thank God for all the wonderful animals and beautiful works of nature that He has created. How can anyone be bored to be surrounded by so much beauty? God also probably knows our human weakness, and that is why He has created dogs to be the best friends for His most loved creation.....homo sapiens. This is also why I think God must love dogs the most of all His creatures for a d-o-g is G-O-D spelt backwards! Interestingly, dogs have some, if not all, of God's characteristics - unconditionally loving and loyal, forever faithful, always forgiving and understanding. Please don't ask me for theological proof. I don't have any. As a lover of dogs and languages, I thought this is neat - that's all.

Oh geez …. The original sender forgot to mention that it tugs at your heart
strings too!!

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you
don't and you may even decide you need one!

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.

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.

If you see someone without a smile today give them one of yours! Live
simply. Love seriously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to
God

A small request: All you are asked to do is keep this circulating.

Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen

All you are asked to do is keep this circulating, even if it's to one more
person.

In memory of anyone you know that has been struck down by cancer or is still
living with it.

Gan Chau

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