“It’s interesting that
we take for companions, creatures
we know we will
outlive. Those gentle souls who
bring us comfort and so
much more
than we often can
express.”
- Anonymous
4:45 AM.
The drill goes something like this.
- Consciousness emerges
- Feet hit the floor
- Same feet into slippers
- Shuffle to the kitchen and turn on
coffee
- Turn off house alarm
- Open home office door and turn on
computer
- Head for the litter box to remove deposits left by the girls over night
By now the coffee is ready and the computer warmed up. Hot java in hand, it’s to the office for some
quiet time and preparation for the day ahead.
I sit on the small couch, prop up my feet, open the iPad, sip a little
coffee and look around.
On cue, Leah wanders into the office, gives me ‘the look’ of
total disinterest, glances around the room as if searching for something, considering
her options for anything…anyone rather than acknowledging that I have any
meaning!
“Come on up girl,” I say.
I get a second expression suggesting, “I’m sorry, but do you
even belong in this room?” A little time passes and then as if responding to
some signal known only to her, she hops to the padded footstool, walks up my
legs, plops herself down, turns on her purring machine and quietly settles into
the morning routine of coffee, overnight emails, a brief scan of the headlines,
an hour or so of reading, and most importantly for her, gentle petting and ear
scratching!
We both know this is a game!
The headlines this morning were a mixed bag of news, sports
and entertainment, ranging from disappointed Olympian hopefuls, abandoned
entertainers, and ‘in the real world’ the loss of life in Kiev and that of a
little ten year old girl kidnapped and murdered by someone she did not know and
who did not know her...so much to process.
What to do?
Life is complicated and much competes for our attention and feelings.
In order to cope with this, I try to focus only on those things over
which I have control… thoughts I accept into my mind and the opinions and
actions resulting from them.
While it is impossible with any certainty to control much else in life, our behavior can have meaning as we interact with people we love and others around us, which brings
me to this morning.
The morning continues…
Somewhere, near the halfway or three-quarter mark of my reading
hour, I hear someone stirring in the house.
Since just two humans live here, it would be Molly (not much gets by me).
While I am not completely certain of her exact routine, there
is typically a “Good morning! Did you
sleep well?” as she passes my door to the kitchen and dining room. I usually hear a bit of shuffling around,
part of which involves her getting coffee, and the sound of her computer
starting up.
Today near the end of my usual prep time I heard,
“Oh my…oh no!” Then I heard her softly
crying. I slipped into the dining
room. She looked up and said, “Michael
put Tiger down this morning.”
Over the next hour we shared sorrow together over the loss
of a cat that had been her mother’s faithful companion for a decade, and when
Mary died last March, adopted by her brother Michael living in Philadelphia.
How Tiger developed the fungal tumor on his nose is not
clear, but it slowly grew until it began to seriously impede his ability to
breathe. Michael, who currently has two
other cats and is no stranger in saying goodbye to others over the years, had done everything he could. Tiger was the most vocal and
affectionate of his cats, and Michael struggled as so many of us do with the responsibility
taking of another life, particularly one that had given so much.
Early in the morning, he took Tiger to the University of
Pennsylvania Veterinary Emergency Room.
The Vet agreed with him that it was time. Michael, with an aching heart, held that
loving little creature in his arms as Tiger slipped away.
While it is always traumatic event to end the life of a
one that has given so much, Tiger represented so much more. In many ways for Michael, Molly and their
other brother Mark, Tiger’s death symbolized the loss of a living and last loving
link to their mother Mary.
Tomorrow morning the routine will begin as it did this
day. When Leah and I play out the
dance to which we have become so accustomed, I will think about Tiger. I will appreciate the little creature purring on my lap as I pet and scratch her ears with a little more tenderness.
- ted
No comments:
Post a Comment