Article - CALI, Colombia: Through the bars of his cage, a 110-kilogram (240-pound) African lion named Jupiter stretches his giant paws around the neck of Ana Julia Torres — and plants a kiss on her puckered lips.

It could be a kiss of gratitude: Since Jupiter was rescued six years ago from a life of abuse and malnutrition in a traveling circus, Torres has fed and nursed him back to health at her Villa Lorena shelter for injured and mistreated animals.

One of my goldfish is dying. “Minnow,” the name I affectionately gave the fish 14 years ago when I was a kid, has been lying on the gravel for over a week now and everyday it struggles harder and harder to eat the red and yellow flakes I drop in. The water is clean, I’ve tried the antibiotics, and I’ve even talked to a couple of fish store employees about what I could do for it. It turns out there is not much I can do for this goldfish. And to tell you the truth, it’s making me sick in my heart.

This Christmas, we had a visit from a four-legged elf.

I present the story to you in verse.

Alexandra “Alex” Scott was born on January 18, 1996.  Her Dad and Mom are Jay and Liz Scott, originally from Manchester, Connecticut, but now live in Wynnewood, Philadelphia.

Before they could even celebrate Alex's first birthday, the Scotts were dealt a sour lemon in life....they were told that Alex was inflicted with neuroblastoma - an aggressive form of childhood cancer. Even if she beat the cancer, which was unlikely, doctors were sure she would never walk.

Somebody forgot to tell Alex...