Pretty much every week I go to visit a friend of mine in a nursing home. For the sake of this blog, I’ll call her Mary. I’ve known her a long time and am well aware of the love she has for animals. Only 10 months ago, after an acute illness, Mary found herself living in a nursing home separated from her beloved cats. Knowing how much her pets mean to her, I found loving homes for her two cats.

I almost always bring one of my pets to visit Mary. It doesn’t seem to matter which one. She is happy to see anything with fur and four feet. I honestly think she is a bit disappointed if I come alone. I generally take turns taking a cat one week and a dog the next week. Mary loves whatever I bring. The animals seem to know that she needs them.

I can’t fix Mary’s health. But I can try to make life a little bit better by providing her with the companionship of a loving pet on a regular basis.