Crystal Clear Love

I want to be loved like Crystal.
Crystal is my 5 year old daughter’s cat. The nametag telling us her name is long gone; torn off. The toy stuffed cat’s appearance is not pretty. Her hair, once snow white, is now a grunge grey. The furry critter has lost its soft texture from repeated trips through the washing machine. The whiskers are matted down and the eyes are no longer symmetrically placed on the face. The shape of the body and head are now sadly distorted. Flabby legs and a tail fail about as my daughter carries the pet and appear as if they may soon detach from the rightful owner. The pink ribbon tied around the neck is now worn thread bear without color but still serves as a useful handle. My daughter, Emily, still thinks the cat is the greatest

I’m not sure what started this great attachment to this particular stuffed animal. She has several other animals that look much better. They sit on the shelf at home while Crystal goes everywhere Emily goes, tries to eat what Emily eats, wears lip balm occasionally, and definitely is present at bedtime. When Crystal is lost it becomes a family emergency until the critter is found. It is amazing how that cat can hide. The fake feline is smaller than a loaf of bread and never makes a sound.

The attachment between that fuzzy fabric and Emily is strong but I am still trying to figure it out. I know her love for that cat does not have anything to do with its net worth. The cat has served its purpose and was well worth the $5 we paid for it. Obviously it is worth more to her than anyone else. The appearance of the grey fuzz ball does not seem to matter. We got another white cat but she refuses to switch alliances. Any replacement just wouldn’t be Crystal.

Emily just loves the piece of fur for what it is. Looks and money don’t matter. A gorgeous new friend is not as important as loyalty to an old one. Sharing time and experiences are more important with best friends. Best friends don’t give up on each other when one is lost.

Love has been tough on Crystal. Her body may soon give out due to hard love. I cannot think of a better way to fall apart than to be loved to death. It may not be glamorous, and it may be painful, but I want to be more like crystal.