SubscribeA little belated, but enthusiastic nonetheless. Though, I must confess, that my new year didn’t get off to the brightest start. Our family lost our beloved cat, Stephen, on New Year’s Eve and it’s taken me a few days to get back into the swing of things.
Stephen was a sweet little fellow with big green eyes, who was had such personality. While he used to hide out when the kids were at home and up and about, he loved coming out and chatting once they were out or asleep, or we had friends or family over. We had him long before we started a family, so he was king of the house for some time. More recently he seemed to reclaim his status in the house by blending in with the family, instead of hiding out. With each subsequent child, he’d gotten a little more comfortable with little hands petting his head, stroking his back, and even pulling his tail. He moved to the DC area with us from Boston, where we got him when he was just a few weeks old. He was more than fifteen years old when he passed. Our usual family rituals for celebrating a new year will now include a special remembrance of our dear little one.
Loosing someone special really taps a person at one’s core and can put one in touch with deep-running and raw emotions. And as painful as it was to experience the loss, there is something about it that made me feel alive. To feel so deeply and to connect with family and friends from this place of sorrow really put me in touch with my humanity.
The support and encouragement I received from friends, family, neighbors and strangers was really a powerful reminder of the impact that one person can have on another, even with the smallest of gestures.
And, it’s on that note that I embrace the new year, celebrating the life our dear Stephen, and celebrating love, connection, peace and the power of the human (and animal) spirit!