Life and the world in which we live have a very unique way of mitigating loss. Now, before anyone gets his knickers in a twist, I am not about to suggest that the pretty little kitten in the picture is a replacement for the loss of a family member. A couple of months ago I lost a family member whom I loved dearly. We did not spend much time together, but we did talk on the phone every couple of days. Without going into the details — I do not want to relive them and you would have no interest in the facts — I can say that like anyone who loses a loved one, it has been very hard to cope with this loss.
The last thing I wanted was to take on more responsibility — even it that responsibility is nothing more than looking after a new kitten. But, some things just seem to insert themselves into our lives whether we want them to or not — good or bad. That’s the interesting thing about life. When we are not looking life appears. When we are not prepared, life disappears. Oh! I do not want to sound morbid. The whole point is that we cannot control life and our universal existence. We can only control ourselves and our reactions to life.
Anyway, this little kitten inserted himself (or herself — not quite sure yet) into our lives. A few weeks ago I mentioned that there had been four kittens but for several weeks I had only seen three, assuming the fourth had met its demise. Well, this little thing had gone missing for almost a month. About a week ago my husband asked me to go outside to see if I could find the kitten that was crying. I didn’t hear anything, but in an effort to please my husband I walked outside. I saw the mama cat and the three kittens — none making a sound. Then, I heard the little me-ow in the clump of grass next to a sand dune.
Immediately I recognized the markings on the kitten and determined that to be sure the prodigal son had returned home and was not being accepted by his siblings or his mother. What was particularly interesting was that the little one let me pick him up — didn’t make a dart. Now, I suspect that someone, perhaps a cottage renter, had seen the little one, captured him, and handled him for the past few weeks. When the time came for the family to return home, it was decided to leave the kitten behind, expecting it to find its way home.
So, there I was celebrating the return of Kitten #4 and realizing that he would become my responsibility since his natural family acted as if he were an intruder. Of course, my husband could not be happier!
Well, life is pretty good for the little one — still no name but doing well without one. It stays pretty busy during the day and NIGHT!
Admittedly, this little creature has brought joy into my life and my husband’s. We enjoy watching the antics — and there are plenty. We enjoy those brief minutes of unconditional love. We appreciate the total lack of humility. And, when the little one did not quite make the leap into a window, my husband and I realized that the kitten is a few months shy of maturity. You see, when the kitten slipped down the wall, front claws slowly relieving the grasp on the window sill before thumping the floor with a full body slam, the kitten showed no embarrassment. Anyone who owns a cat knows that they are particularly prone to flashes of embarrassment when a misstep occurs. The kitten showed none of the usual mature cat responses. In fact, without so much as a glance back at the window, it pounced the toy next to the landing spot.
My husband and I have slept well for the past couple of weeks. Perhaps it is the combination of the natural sounds that surround the cottage — the slow rhythmic sound of the ocean lapping the shore — and playing most of the hot day with this new little gift of life and joy. But, we are not the only ones who are worn out at the end of the day. There is so much for which we are grateful! And, at the end of the day….
