The Treasure

                                                              by Francis Michael Dattilo, Jr.

Boys and girls,

Everyone has had an Auntie May, Aunt Bea or Auntie Clara who could be downright ornery when we tromped through her roses and just as sweet in giving us jelly beans and caramel turtles.

And this is the most important thing, children, she taught us:

We all had a hidden treasure deep inside us filled with something more valuable than gold doubloons or pieces of eight, something called love for all of God's creatures, be they four-legged, two-legged, or one-legged with a wooden crutch.

And may we all put the map to that treasure somewhere we would never forget in good times and especially in bad.

Amen. Amen. Amen.