Kitty

      The journey through life for many is an arduous voyage. We suffer through the hardships that come with it, fighting through the turbulent storms of our emotions until we’ve reached the golden valley of resilience and strength that is so beautiful that it motivates us to push onward. What many of us take for granted about that sacred place, though, is that there is an essence keeping it alive for us. This essence is often something overlooked and seemingly small, but unbeknownst to us is a part of us that completes our world. It is the tiny hill that, no matter how shifted the mountains of your life become, never moves or changes. Most importantly, it is the one thing we can refer to without doubt or skepticism in our hearts as “home.”

      Since almost the day of my birth, I’ve had a pet cat that to this day I still hold close. My mother had found her in a Cincinnati alleyway on a short vacation. She had decided to keep her and give her a home (which eventually became a habit). She was named, with some irony and parody, “Kitty.” I had grown to think of it as quite a ridiculous name, but eventually gave in and slightly began to admire it for its simplicity.

      It is the name we’ve been calling her by for the past 18 and a half years. She has far surpassed the lifespan of the average cat. We’ve mourned the deaths of two other cats during her long life, and have been living with a third for over half of a decade. I feel as though my connection may be the strongest, though, for both of us have watched each other grow from infancy onward. She was my best friend during my earlier years, and we are still closer than ever today.

      I had not realized, though, until about two years ago, that she was more than just my pet. She was a vital piece of the foundation of my childhood, the piece of stability I needed to keep my sanity through a shattered adolescent life plagued with divorce, family tension, and heartbreak. She was the one part of me that, no matter how many of my friends and family I lost, no matter how our living conditions changed, no matter how many bad decisions I made, was always there to sit on my lap when I felt like there was nothing left to live for. Every time I saw her, it brought back memories of early childhood and how wonderful life was. She is still the same cat she was back then.

      There are so many happy times to note about time spent with her. There have been many nights when she balled up next to me in my bed and closed her eyes while I pet her gently. I have fond memories of playing pouncing games with her as a young child, placing my chin on the ground and watching her run at me before jerking my head up quickly. I even remember when I was so depressed I couldn’t find the strength to get up, which is when she would come onto my lap and start purring. She is, as I have said, more than just my cat. She is my family.

      I will be looking back on these memories with a smile and a tear now, for when I go home tonight, she will be gone. I could not say goodbye to her in person in time, but I hope she can look at our happy times together over our long lives and consider it a good enough farewell. She has watched over me through my entire childhood. Now, as I press into adulthood, I know she will be watching me and my new golden valley, my soon to be wife, as she sits atop her cloud. Kitty, I hope you remember our time together as you move on to your better place and your suffering finally ends. As your life ends, mine begins. My childhood is dedicated to you. Don’t forget me.