Daisy's Gift Given... I looked at the ashtray on the table nearly overflowing from morning and early afternoon use. The crushed empty pack lay beside it. I left the table and opened the cabinet where the cigarettes were kept. The remaining carton lay on the top shelf. Reaching for it I held it for a moment then went to return it to the shelf. I stopped short. I felt nothing toward them. I not only didn't need to lite one, I had no desire to! I looked at the part filled box again and then remembered! The day I bought them! Just one week ago. The memory I had of Daisy and I before I went into the store. I was crying all over him. I was crying and VERY scared. I was crying about this very thing! When I lifted my head I had seen that he had one ear up. Had he really heard me?? Somehow I KNEW now that I was a non smoker. I also KNEW that there was no way I became one myself. But Daisy?? I placed the carton on the table and took the four steps down to the recreation room. Daisy's bed still lay in the corner in the afternoon sun. The little toy Dutch rabbit beside it. Again, that strong knowledge that I would never smoke again nor want to! Full realization quickly sank in! I sank into the comfortable rocker where I had held him so many times. Remembering how it felt to hold him I thanked him. I thanked him over and over. "Daisy, I know you did this because I know I didn't!" All I can do now is to relate what was next to transpire. I have never had anything like this happen before or since. Suddenly my mind became a movie screen. I saw myself standing at the washer taking care of Daisy. I saw the back of my head! I could actually hear the words I was saying! Daisy was making disapproving grunts and I heard myself say: "Daisy! What do the outdoor bunnies do? No one is taking care of their feet and cleaning their behinds!" I saw myself kiss the top of his head. The patch of white. I then saw myself sit down with him in the very rocker where I was sitting. I saw myself rock him while the meds dried on his feet. "Do you know how much I love you? Do you know?" Our "Goodnight" words said over and over. My mind cleared. Everything stopped. Then came the words I will never ever forget. My bunny...my little boy...I KNEW it was him. No matter how unbelievable...I knew it was him! It was Daisy. The words were very clear. The thought came again of the vision I had just seen. Then I heard... "You did for me what I could not do for myself. Now I have done for you what you could not do for yourself." I remained in the chair completely stunned. I don't remember how long I sat there. I never wanted to leave. Tears streamed down my face, The "Good-bye" I had said to him really WASN'T good-bye! Slowly I rose to my feet. I rose to my feet to begin a new life! *And I have lived this life for 14 years. There has never been a memory of what it felt like to smoke. There has never been a desire to touch one again. And I am grateful! For so long it was a constant: "How can I thank you??" But I think I have found a way! I live as healthy as I can! I'm not excessive but I am mindful. And in this way I feel I thank him. Also, for me, this has shown that our beloved companions do go on. After all, this happened one week after he "passed". I was and am grateful for the release from that habit but in 2010 I found myself grateful for even more than this. In July and August I contracted pneumonia, MRSA in my lungs and a blood infection all at the same time...twice. The second time was much worse than the first and I wound up in a rehab center on a pic line for 21 days. No one needed to tell me that if I had still been smoking for ten more years that I would not have made it through these illnesses. They did tell me but it wasn't necessary. My neighbor asked me once: "Where is God in all this?" I answered her truthfully. "He made the bunny!" He made Daisy. And I thank God for Daisy's life. I thank my daughter for bringing Daisy into our lives. And I thank Daisy. Thank you for sharing your life with me. I am grateful. Mr. Daisy 1994-January3,20Thank you Daisy. All Links are photo links Daisy's Memorial Link "Please Stay With Me Awhile" (The Heartbreak of Euthanasia) Main Website "My Forever Friend"