The Whale

 A female humpback whale had become entangled in a spider web of
crab traps   and lines.
   
    She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused
her to struggle to stay afloat.  
     
    She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her
body, her tail, her torso, a    
    line   tugging in her mouth.
   
    A fisherman spotted her just east of the Faralon Islands
(outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed
    for help.
   
    Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that
she was so bad off, the only
    way to save her was to dive in and untangle her  --   a very
dangerous proposition.    One slap of
    the tail could kill a rescuer. 
   
They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed
her.
   
    When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like
joyous circles.
    She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time,
nudged them, and   pushed gently,
    thanking them.  
     
    Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of
their lives.  
   
The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was
following him the
    whole time, and he will never be the same . 
   
   
    May you, and all those you love,   be so fortunate...
    To be surrounded by people   who will help you get untangled
from the
    things that are binding you.
    And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving
gratitude.  
     
    I pass this on to you, my friends, in the same spirit.  
    Hugs
    Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
    Laugh uncontrollably...
    Never regret anything that made you smile