MY CAT, MY TEACHER
by Linda Rondeau
Editor, Geezer Guys and Gals
by Linda Rondeau
Editor, Geezer Guys and Gals
Already grown
when she found us, she stayed for another twenty years.
We already owned
two male cats and hadn’t wanted any more. Yet, there she was, sitting on our
porch, licking her fur, and acting like the princess of 900 Greene Street . She knew she had found
a home before we even knew she needed one.
It was nearing
Christmas and a familiar scripture came to memory, pulling at my senses like a
nagging child: “I tell you the truth,
whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me
(Matthew 25:45).
But, like the Levi in the Good Samaritan story,
we passed her on the other side while she huddled into a cold corner of the
porch.
When
she clung to her post, I felt remorse, as if she’d been sent to us somehow. After three days, I could stand the
guilt no longer. We brought in her and named her Noel in honor of the
season.
At first, Noel
roamed while we slept and became invisible during the day, occasionally
allowing a glimpse of her brown, tiger-stripped body as she scurried up the
stairs to hide. She remained secluded, refusing to eat while the home’s
denizens were active.
Soon, her fear
gave way to curiosity. She sauntered
into the living room to examine us, yet remained aloof. The slightest attempt
at affection sent her flying back up the steps to her secret place.
This sleuthing
continued for the next six months until the day she decided to engage us. I was
reading a book and sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee when I became
cognizant of loud purring and an inexplicable weight on my tummy. Distracted
from my comfortableness, I found Noel resting on my lap. Then she started
nipping at my hand.
I thought about ignoring her just as she had
ignored us for the last six months. Tenacious to the core, she continued
nipping until I had no choice but to stop reading and either pet her or push
her off my lap. I chose the first option, and the purring resumed. It was the
beginning of a long and great friendship.
Noel’s tenacity
continued to characterize her disposition into her old age. In spite of her
hefty bulk and arthritic joints, she fought for first sitting rights. Even to
the last, she battled with our two male cats for lap supremacy, the younger
felines scooting for safety whenever Noel hissed.
Noel braved
whatever life threw her way, including the ravages of age. She withstood pain
with the same fierce determination as that blustery, yuletide day she first
decided to grace us with her love.
I am grateful she
found us. Among the many things she taught us was that life is precious at any
age.
Winner of the 2012 Selah Award for best first novel (The
Other Side of Darkness/Harbourlight), LINDA RONDEAU, writes for the reader who
enjoys a little bit of everything. Her stories of redemption and God’s mercies
include romance, suspense, the ethereal, and a little bit of history into the
mix, always served with a slice of humor. Walk with her unforgettable
characters as they journey paths not unlike our own. After a long career in
human services, mother of three and wife of one very patient man, Linda now
resides in Florida where she is active in her church and community. Readers may visit her web site at www.lindarondeau.com. Her second book, written under L.W. Rondeau,
America II: The Reformation, Trestle Press, is a futuristic political thriller
published is now available in ebook on Amazon.com
and Barnes
and Noble. Print edition will be
available September 7.
Available wherever books are sold |
9 comments:
I'm in my thirties, and I look to the women around me to learn how to age. I think it's something important to learn. We're taught how to be wives, mothers, but I think learning to age is equally important. I love this blog, because I see intelligent, funny people showing me how to age gracefully and with humor. :)
How true! There are times that I am too nostalgic for the past, wanting to have the energy and stamina of my youth. But, the trade off is worth it--wisdom and grace and a faith built upon years of striving (and often failing) to follow my Lord.
"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." - Proverbs 4:18
I love animals and enjoyed this post very much. Thanks for giving me a smile.
Enjoyed the wisdom wrapped in fur. Thanks for sharing, Linda.
thank you all for stopping by. Use, fur can be educational, too.
Linda, how precious. Thanks for the lesson, and whenever I see you I always think of you as a gracious person w/wisdom. :)
@ Caroline
awwwww shucks. thanks.
What a pretty cat! I love my own too.
@ Jessica
Pets are special.
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