Thursday, April 29, 2010

LOVE

I Corinthians 13:13 says, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."

 

The love Paul is talking about is patient and kind – one that's not rude or self-seeking; one that always protects, always trusts, always perseveres.

 

The 13th chapter of I Corinthians is read at many weddings and it's my opinion that spouses can only dream of attaining this type of pure love.  See, the problem is that men and women are both human and, for most humans, things get in the way of pure love.  Things like envy, pride, anger – the very things Paul says love is not. 

 

Animal lovers know that pure love can be found with our pets.  They're always there for you and they give love unconditionally; and when you nurture that relationship, they will become precious babies that you can interact with.    

 

They greet you in the morning when you get up, follow you throughout the routine of your day and snuggle up with you at bedtime.  And they have their own habits, as well – from napping locations, to play times, to preferred toys – that showcase their individual personalities.

 

I've had two Himalayan cats for over 17 years.  Don't let that number just glide over you – 17 years is a long stretch of time, a long time.  Think about it, 17 years ago Bill Clinton had only just begun his presidency, the only economic downturn anyone spoke of was still the Great Depression and terrorism hadn't quite fully made its way to the US yet.  Do you get it?  Seventeen years is a long, long time. 

 

On April 8th I lost my Izzie.  Princess Isabella Serina passed away, leaving me genuinely broken hearted.  There are no words that can convey the depth of my feelings to make any reader understand what she truly meant to me – it's personal, an unsurpassed special bond that was forged over nearly two decades.   

 

To make my sorrow even deeper, I watch her sister, who's 17-1/2, look for her everywhere – not understanding.  Her life is different now, my life is different now.  And what's crushing me is that I know it's only a matter of time before I'll lose Lillie, too – or Queen Lillie Chandra as she's known on the registry of the Cat Fancier's Federation. 

 

Of course I understand that loss is inevitable, but knowing that doesn't help at all – the pain is brutal.  My Izzie was the cutest Iz that ever was or ever will be.  She was like my shadow – always by my side.  I'll miss her forever.  And Miss Lil will always be my first baby girl – nothing will ever change that. 

 

With a hole in my heart…

 ~ M.