When Cora & I graduated from our Pet Therapy Training, a woman from our local hospice was there speaking on the importance of Pet Therapy and the Human/Animal Bond.

She told a very touching story of a young man, who was around the age of 13-15 and mentally retarded. He was dying, and a patient at Hospice. He kept saying he wanted to see a puppy. So, one of the staffers called a local shelter, and one of the shelter's volunteers brought over a puppy.

She placed the puppy on the boys chest, while his family members looked on. He was overjoyed, and laughed and smiled as he stroked the puppy, and the puppy covered his face with kisses. That is how he died.... he slipped away, happily and peacefully.

His family stood watching in awe. They were overwhelmed by the beauty of it all.... and so very grateful.

In another related matter, Cora & I volunteer at our local battered women's shelter. There are children living in the shelter with their Mothers. One of the social workers told me on Tuesday, that after our last visit, there had been a breakthrough... two of the children we had visited with spoke for the first time since they had been in the shelter.

That touched me beyond words.....