I am deeply thankful for the pets who have shared my life
over the years. My first cat, Tommy, let my eight-year-old self tromp around
while he hunted mice and moles near our home in the countryside of northern Illinois
Pets taught my children about love and nurturing. They hand
fed Nikki (who just passed on at nineteen and a half) when she was a tiny
kitten. They cuddled and cared for cat Daisy who lived to be seventeen and
shared their entire childhoods with them. Through pets they learned
responsibility and how to put someone else’s needs ahead of their own.
More recent pets have become huge parts of our lives.
Benjamin is my writing cat, who often perches on my desk beside my computer and
“chirps” for me to pet him. Australian shepherd Aengus also shares my office,
lying directly in my pathway so I am forced to pet him as I go in and out of
the room. When he isn’t in my office, he goes everywhere with my husband and
garners attention from everyone with his incredibly sweet, friendly
disposition.
But some pet relationships go beyond mere companions. My
grown daughter’s cat Velvet came to her as a tiny kitten three years ago and
has been her support animal through her terrible struggle to escape an abusive
relationship and her emotional and physical recovery. During times when my
daughter was distraught, ill, angry, even suicidal, Velvet gave her a reason to
live, to get up each morning, to go on and keep moving forward.
Velvet recently disappeared for over a week. My daughter was
frantic and scoured our neighborhood, put up posters and checked the local
shelter every day. When Velvet reappeared the morning after Halloween, it
seemed like a miracle. I can’t help but feel the spirits who are said to walk
on All Hallows Eve understood how important Velvet was and guided her home.
Pets give us so much more than we can ever give them. They
calm us when we’re stressed, ease our depression, lower our blood pressure and
improve our health in many ways. People with pets live longer, and I know
several cancer survivors who claim their pets are the only reason they made it
through treatment and are alive today.
When we lose our pets it feels like an amputation. Pets
become a part of us and touch our souls in a special way. I think they are
better than us, purer and more innocent. Their spirits are free of the cold
selfishness that too often taints human interactions.
During this season of contemplation and gratitude for our
blessings, I am thankful every day for the beloved animals I’ve known over the
course of my life.
Blurb
One rapturous hour together sparks
unforgettable passion between Lady Nicola and Fawkes de Cressy. The memory of
their time together enables Fawkes to survive the horrors and perils of the
Crusades, and gives Nicola the hope and strength to endure her brutal
marriage. To save herself and
those she loves, Nicola of Valmar she will sacrifice anything, even the
unforgettable passion she shared with the bold young squire her husband sent to
her bed four years ago.
Fawkes de Cressy vows to rescue
the woman whose memory sustained him through the horrors and perils of the
Crusades. But Lady Nicola is surrounded by a web of sickening rumors that
threaten to shatter his dream.With enemies everywhere, a battle-hardened
knight and a secretive, wary woman must learn to trust each other to survive. They must dare to let the soul-stirring magic their bodies
share grow into love. Or a desperate plot set in motion months ago will bring
down Valmar Castle, shatter their dreams and destroy them both.
Buy Links
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So glad Velvet came home and the blessing she has been for your daughter. Sounds like Benjamin is an excellent writing companion.
ReplyDeleteYou state it all so eloquently Mary. Pets teach so much and give so much comfort to us. So glad Velvet returned to the fold. Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI often ponder why it's animals that teach us all about unconditional love, Mary. Perhaps it's their purpose here on earth. I am grateful and blessed by all the furbabies that have entered my life. Each one has left their imprint on my soul. Thank you for a beautiful post and happy to hear Velvet returned. Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteMary, I too am grateful for the fur creatures who have agreed to share my life...even if losing them does leave a hole so very deep. I often say it hurts so much, losing them, precisely because the bond reaches all the way to the heart. So glad the spirits guided Velvet home!
ReplyDeleteLoved your post, Mary. I too feel like pets enrich our lives. There's nothing worse than losing a family pet. My dog is almost 15 years old and hobbles around. We see the end looming, but it's hard to think of being without her. At least we'll have the comfort of knowing she has had a wonderful life. All the best to you and your family (both fury and not).
ReplyDelete