THE LESSON…. Princess was thin and sleek and beautiful by any standard. Some days she was playful and flirtatious, and other days, she would pay no attention to you at all; as if your very presence was a bother to her. When you looked into the pools of her liquid green eyes, you would fall deeply in love with her, without ever having a choice I think. You could probably try, but it was impossible to resist the gravitational pull of her independent charms. Her arrogance and pertness befitted the name Princess, as if she were born for the job. Princess didn’t look like much of a cat at first; a ball of white and brown fur was all. She always cried for attention, then would run and hide as soon as she got it from you. I think back on it, and it was almost like a game she had made up of her own, to pass the time and have fun at your expense. An odd and sometimes troubled kitten, that grew rapidly into a loyal friend that brought countless days of love and friendship into my life.It all started one day with weight loss and tiredness. Who knows how long this went on before I noticed it was not simply a passing meaningless sign. We got into the car, and took a trip to Doc. Muirs , our long time vet with the heart and skill of an angel. She delivered the news to me quickly. Princess had leukemia and would not last long she said. Perhaps six weeks, maybe eight, before the pain would get too bad to endure. Her words rang in my ears like a shot from a gun, and left my whole body numb to everything around me. Doctor Muir asked me three times I guess, to leave her here and it would be over in a moment of time, with no pain at all. So kind and safe for me of course; but leave her alone? No…the answer was so clear to me, as never before. I saw the images in my head of the countless times I was tired or sick and in bed for the day, and there at my side was Princess. She was always there, lifting my spirits and like a powerful medicine healing my soul with her care and attention. Her constant vigilance let me fall fast asleep in the midst of hard times. No...It may well be easy for me, but to leave her alone and afraid at the time she needed the most care and love, I could never allow to happen.The chemo-therapy was costly and hard on us both, and yielded a full year we would never have had. We enjoyed the good days and cried through the bad with no shame. I think back on how happy we were as a week or a month of the good gave us back the days of our youth. We played once again on the floor with the pink rubber ball she loved so much, until it too held no joy again. Finally, that uneasy sense of what was to happen comes over you. No one needs to tell you, or give you a lesson. It’s just something that you know, and it chocks you; like being covered with a thick woven blanket, that’s impossible to ignore. It takes you breath away as if being struck in the stomach by surpriseI picked her up in my arms, and softly hugged her so close; and carried her into the bedroom that had been her domain for so many years. I gently laid her down on the spot of the bed that belonged to her for so long, and made her feel cared for. As I lay next to her for a while, I brought my face close in front of her now, and softly touched my nose into hers, and looked into her beautiful green eyes with my own. I wanted her to know she was not alone in this life, and that the last thing she would see, was someone that adored her so much. Someone that was grateful for all she had done for me in life. It was then that I whispered,” I could never let you take this journey alone my love.”” You will be with me forever my dear friend.” With that; she whimpered a silent good-bye, and the flood of tears poured from my eyes until there was nothing left inside me but emptiness and pain in my heart. I was sick with sorrow, and the helplessness I felt to be able to do nothing, pressed in on me with a crushing force. It was not long afterword, before a lesson about life was made clear to me. I looked into her eyes once more and did not recognize who it was. Her body did not look even familiar to me; as if it were another cat that had been switched when my eyes had been closed. Then with my spirits coming back, and a sense of peace and joy filling my soul; a kind of veil was lifted for me to see clearly; that we are not what we walk around “in” all day long. We are not bodies with a soul that we service once a week on Sunday in church. What we are: is spirits, that take on this body to commune with each other. It was when Princess passed on to the other side; that what made her all that she was had disappeared and left behind this broken frame. The real her, was not dead, but alive and well in a land far away; perhaps running and jumping and playing with a pink rubber ball once more. Our spirits go on, of this I am certain. I shall remember this lesson and this gift you gave me forever my friend, and am thankful for the time we had. I miss you each day you are gone. By Dennis L. August 6th 2007
Replies
i love it so much it is so beatuiful it makes you want to cry.
It is glorious that you have learned such an important lesson. I am proud of you.I wish that people would be able to look at each other and see such a lesson.I wish we would appreciate each other more during the time we each have left. Those than can look beyond the physical are few and far between. I am honored that you are one of them and I call you friend.
I understand the bond between you and your pet. My little Calalilly has been sitting close by me and following me around for two years now, as my body becomes more tired. She is my God-sent companion and I will love her the same as you loved. How can we not?
Peace to you, my dear friend.
I cried when I read this.I wish I had been able to sit with Scooby if I knew he was going to die.Just to let him know the joy he brought me for the 3 years he was with me and how much I loved him.It is so right these creatures are more then just a once of a week thinking they are there through thick and thin.I think I am going to relate this to my aunt dying I mean with making her know that I am there even now in her worst time she was there for me so many times in life.I hope that makes sence.
That\'s amazing, Dennis. That\'s so great that you\'ve learned from this passing but so terrible that things like this have to happen for us to open up our eyes. You are so selfless, it\'s wonderful.
OMG! this is so good! did you write this yourself? this is like a professional writer. i\'m reading it with only a mild interest, and then i have tears in my eyes. you are a very talented man.
thanks for the story.
That is sweetly put. you have a gift for writing and I am honoured you allow us to read your wisdom and insights.
I love how you wrote this. I have a cat, she\'s 10 years old now, and definitely showing signs of her age and declining health. I will feel the same as you, she\'s always sensed my feelings and is always is right there for me at those times. Thank you for sharing this.
you are so amazing to me. you always have the right thing to say. your simply so good at this and thanks so much.
Den, that made me cry...i can\'t imagine how hard it must have been letting Princess go like that, but like you said there was a lesson learnt and you realised that Princess is still here but in mind and spirit, she\'s happy and not frail like she was. I have a dog and i love her dearly, she\'s only 3 years old, but just thinking about the day she may go...ten years from now is not far away enough, but i love her and have her for all that time and that\'s what counts hey.
That was beautiful Den, and when you write words like that it puts it into perspective for me and make\'s death not seem so daunting.
My love, Becca xxxxxxxx
Dennis, this was a fantastic heart felt story. I am glad that you have given us all the pleasure to read this. You write from the nner most part of your heart and have the courage tho share. 2 wonderful qualities in anyone. FIlled with wisdom and soul and a wonderful lesson to share. Thank you so much!
This was so moving. It made me cry. As a vet tech, I had to be professional about these situations. But, it was always hard to do. It waa always more difficult to hold it together when the owners cried. I have lost pets of my own, and most recently was my precious Duchess. She was a white and brown long-haired beauty with sky-blue eyes. I miss her so much. The story of Princess reminds me of her. She passed on in April of 2006, and I still miss her every day. Nothing could ever take the place of her in my heart.
Thank you for sharing this story with all of us.
Love,
Melinda
did that wrong.that was...im not really aure if there are words to describe how that story made me feel.its great to have you as a friend.you are a wonderful person and forever will be.
That was very touching. My cat is like another child to me, I can\'t imagine going through something like that with him....
Take care,
Cyndi
Dennis its beautiful!! very touching. You are awesome!! You are God sent to DS. Thank you for being my friend.
Love,
Jeena
wow this story is beautiful. you\'re so right about our spirits living on... I\'m sure that this body is temporary I\'ve got no doubt about that. this story is written so well... I think you have a writer hiding in you! :)