Paws is my 13 year old cat. She is the last off-spring of a pregnant cat that we adopted 14 years ago. Phantom, Paws' tiny sweet Calico mother, and Goliath, her very large mellow yellow brother, are gone and buried in our garden with many other family companions. Paws was always the indifferent one who refused to sit on our laps and didn't need us for anything more than a bowl of food or an occasional scratch on the head. She rarely sought our company.
Two weeks ago Paws stopped eating. She had gained weight over the years and when she honored me by sharing a chair with me as I sat at the computer, she often pushed me to the edge of the chair. I didn't realize she had stopped eating until I suddenly noticed she was a lot thinner. Sensing that something must be wrong, I tried to entice Paws to eat by offering her different foods. Nothing worked and after two days I realized that I couldn't wait any longer and took her to the vet. After charging $270 for an examination and blood tests, the vet concluded Paws appeared to be in good health for a cat her age. He recommended we pursue further tests, but suggested he give her a "shot" to see if that would help her get back her appetite.
Luckily, something worked and Paws is eating again. However, the new Paws is a shadow of her old self and her illness appears to have been a life altering experience. Paws now seeks human companionship. She shares the chair with me more often--and her new svelte physique allows both of us to sit in the chair comfortably. She greets me every morning, luring me to her food bowl, and visits me often throughout the day, begging me to scratch her head and ruffle her fur. She rewards me with head bumps and loud purrs. Paws "talks" to everyone and in the evening she will come into the family room to be with us--something she had never done before.
It wasn't until Paws became ill that I realized how important she is to me. Like many people and things in my life, I had taken her presence for granted. She was here with me today and I assumed she would be with me tomorrow. I now see her with "new eyes" and I believe she feels the same way. Sometimes we do get second chances.
“Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” Og Mandino ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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