Sometimes I have no idea what I'm going to put in my newsletter. A few days ago, I knew it had to be a little something about Rosie, one of our cat companions. So I've included that in this blog. It touches a little on loss but also serves as a reminder to carry the love forward, and it also reminds us to be authentic. Read more and you'll see why. I hope it leaves you with soft smiles.
This is Rosie. She was (yes, was) adopted with her brother about 7 years ago. They were a delight from the moment we brought them home. Rosie was the more adventurous. Rather than take the direct route, she climbed around and through multiple chair legs to cross a room. A favorite morning activity was to bolt from an imaginary chaser in the bedroom, into the bathroom, onto the counter, to the top of the open door, and onto the top of the upper cabinet all in a matter of seconds. She was also a rug diver. When the spirit moved her she dove, with front legs outstretched, at a well laid out rug, flopped on her side and rabbit-kicked the rug leaving it in a heap before racing off to the far side of the house sounding like a miniature horse thundering across our wooden floor. She also had a thing for fresh acorns. She'd chase and push them all over the floor. Later we would find them tucked under a rug, sofa, or cabinet. In the above image, she has a favorite toy: the knot at the end of that string. And she was soft spoken; her meows were more like soft squeaks. Last week, Rosie was hit by a car and left us instantly. Someone who saw stopped by our house to let us know and we are grateful to them for that. We miss her terribly and, although, there are still tears, there are also soft smiles because we were lucky to have her with us and be such a delightful part of our family. Animals are often not with us relatively long but what joy they bring while they are here. When I think of Rosie, I wonder how to honor her life, her presence. Perhaps the best way is to emulate her qualities by being authentic because she did nothing better than be Rosie: have fun with the challenges, know when to be cautious and when to be adventurous, make time to cuddle, and use your soft voice because that is often enough.