Friday, August 8, 2008

One other blessing


I mentioned loneliness in my previous post. For me, the most difficult part of the past year was dealing with being alone - totally by myself. I'm not talking about having the house to yourself for a day or a weekend. I'm talking about for the foreseeable future. The first couple of months I dreaded coming "home" to silence. It gave me a sense of solitary confinement and it was killing me. I would leave the radio or the TV on, but nothing helped. I missed the noises and conversations that are all a part of family life in your home. Silence can indeed be deafening.

Once again Brother Mike to the rescue. He suggested I get a cat. Having been a "dog" man all these years, the thought didn't appeal to me. But I was desperate. So, I went to the Humane Society with some very strict criteria. To make a long story short, "Effie" met all the criteria plus some, and I brought her home.

What a joy! Her unconditional love and company have been so important to me. She chirps and chats with me constantly. When I come home, she's at the door squeaking and meowing at me in almost a conversational way. She loves to cuddle and play. Effie even comes when I call her. Clay says she's the most canine feline he's ever heard of.

Don't get me wrong. I don't picture myself as some elderly "cat person" in the future. Nothing will replace the human touch. But I will say Effie was and is here for me when I needed company in the worst way. I'll never forget that.