It's A Family Thing

It is with great sadness I am writing this. Yesterday morning my dear Shadow Cat left us. Shadow was with me for almost 20 years. Although she was still a frisky, spry kitty (she even caught a mouse her last night with us), her poor old body was failing her very quickly and I didn’t want her to suffer any longer.

The house seems so quiet without her. You who knew her know how vocal she could be. I keep waiting for her to walk up to me and start meowing to be petted…we will miss her dearly.

SHADOW CAT
1988 ~ 2008

I stood by your bed last night
I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying,
You found it hard to sleep.

I meowed to you softly
as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you,
I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast,
I watched you pour coffee,
You were thinking of the many times,
your hands reached down to me.

I was with you at my grave today,
You tend it with such care.
I want to reassure you,
that I'm not lying there.

I walked with you towards the house,
as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you,
I smiled and said "it's me."

You looked so very tired,
and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know,
that I was standing there.

It's possible for me,
to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty,
"I never went away."

You sat there very quietly,
then smiled, I think you knew...
in the stillness of the evening,
I was very close to you.

The day is over...
smile and watch you yawning
and say "goodnight, God bless,
I'll see you in the morning."

And when the time is right for you
to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you
and we'll stand, side by side.

I have so many things to show you,
there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out...
then come home to be with me.

~ Author unknown