Joanne: I am glad Whiskers got his first vet visit over. Whew............

You are going to be so knowledgeable about food and kitties you might be able to write a book.
Although I know you would prefer to just have everything easier.

I can imagine how excited everyone was at the vet to see the new kitty. He is so pretty.

It really is a treasure when we find a vet that goes the extra mile...and it doesn't have to be lined with dollar bills.

Judy

Sorry Whiskers and Charlie aren't friends but then I guess everyone can't love everyone else. That's not life. Maybe someday..they may find a bond but then if Whiskers gets to be put with the ladies...well...that's one boy that's not really dumb, is he?

I'm glad he is settling in. It is always hard with a new environment but with all the thunder, lightning, and tornadoes you have been having...I thought I saw him at the bus station buying a ticket...just kidding. He now just has the best home ever.

Whenever my husband and I went out for a few hours, we would always kid that Little Guy and our others would be waiting at the door with their little suitcases and we would just laugh at that thought. But they were always there waiting for us...while we still had them.

Awwwwwwwwwww Judy...................he is beautiful. How comforting for you too to be able to look into those eyes and know what he brought into your life. We never stop missing them though, do we. The pictures we take are forever captured in these kinds of special moments caught on a camera. I find much happiness and gratitude in looking at all the pics I have of my special ones. It helps in mending my broken heart.

HUGS Judy and thanks for sharing Little Guy with me.

You're right, Beth. We never stop missing them....EVER. I believe that pictures help heal our souls and just do something special for us that nothing else can...when our special ones are gone.

This particular picture, as I said is my desktop wallpaper. What I didn't say was when I put this picture on my desktop...Little Guy was alive and healthy. I feel as though even though he is physically gone...I just can't change this picture....looking at him on my desktop just forms a special tie...I don't know if I will ever change it.

I do know I find it very comforting to look at when I first turn my computer on and when I turn it off, it is as though it is time for him to sleep but he will be back the next time I push that monitor On button....he can't ever leave this way.... I am very grateful that I took the time to take pictures, not realizing what they would mean some day.

Hugs back to you, Beth.

Joanne: I recognize so many of the feelings you talk about.

One thing you said again reminded me:

For you, For Beth, and For me.....one year ago...we still had our precious ones with us. That shows how short the time has been since we lost them.

I have some more pictures of Little Guy I think I will post....pictures are a way of "touching" them again. As long as it is their pictures.

Judy

Oh Judy- He really does have beautiful eyes! What a great picture. Little Guy looks so content and happy. Pictures allow us the luxury of snapping a happy moment and freezing it in time. To look at that picture can bring us right back into that happiness and we all need that sometimes...actually quite often. Thank you fo sharing- that was nice to see tonight.

ForDuffy: Thank you for your comments. I am glad you felt a warm feeling seeing that picture of Little Guy....that's what it does to me also. You are so right about freezing a moment in time.....pictures just help so much and mean so much.

As I see my post above responding to the replies above it.....I talk about me and Goliath and Joanne having our special ones last year at this time and as I see your reply...it brings the thought to me that not only are you with us in that group (as so many here really are) but I remember that for Duffy and for Little Guy....September was a month they had in common with each other...I hope their souls bonded together at the Rainbow Bridge and they are looking down at us and know that in Heaven we WILL be all together again one day. Sometimes it seems so long since I had him and at other times it seems a short time ago.

I enjoyed that beautiful picture of Duffy you posted on your thread and hope you post more there. I will look for more of Little Guy to put here. It seems like using a camera was not second nature to me....I think I just thought....there is plenty of time and...someday I will take more pictures, etc. etc. I am so glad I took the pictures I did because those moments, as you say, frozen in time...right now are more important in my life than I can say.

Hugs to you for your thoughtful comments. They really help make my day.

Judy

Joanne: You said:
For you, For Beth, and For me.....one year ago...we still had our precious ones with us. That shows how short the time has been since we lost them.

You know this is what makes me cry. Its just so hard knowing this is my first year without them. Its been the longest I have ever been separated from my babies.
--------------------------------------

What you said above...just shows how alike and intense is the pain we all share...I think especially in the first year. There is something difficult in thinking.....last year I could hold Little Guy in my arms and in this month...last year...he was healthy.

But then I do feel blessed to have had him for many healthy years but I still would keep him here and healthy if I had had the choice...which of course gets taken away from all of us. We just cannot keep them as long as we wanted because we know we would never give them up and I guess fate doesn't want that.

We all can look at each other's words and nod our heads in agreement that we could have writtten those exact words about our pain and our feelings and about missing our special ones. It just helps so much to know one is not alone in their grief...the sharing helps the healing.

Judy

That's right, we have each other. Out of a tragedy we all came here and found wonderful and loving friends who inspire us to recover. Out of such a deep loss and missing our babies, we learn more about ourselves and each other. I have truly learned the importance of expressing gratitude in all things. There is comfort in knowing that the separation between here and Heaven is only temporary. In other aspects of my life there is so much to love and nurture, including me. Everybody around me benefits when I feel happy and fulfilled.

I too would bring Goliath back to me if I could. But since I can't have him here.............I am grateful for where he is and have faith that we will reunite one day. All of us are born to die. When it is my time, I will go with a smile on my face. For I know in my heart and soul what awaits me. There is no fear in me for what is yet to be.

Blessings of a new day is the opportunity to set a new intention. There is a reason for everything and all will fall into place as it was meant to be. My faith is strong and I trust that through acceptance of all things, I will continue to have wonderful opportunites for spiritual growth and loving relationships.

Beth: You have such positive beautiful words in your reply. It makes me smile to read them.

Do you ever read what you first wrote when you first came here and then compare that to how you feel and write now and see what I see as an amazing transformation from an overwhelming grief into a positive and happy outlook for each day? Never forgetting what we have lost but also thinking of what we have gained through talking to each other here.

Your writings actually feel like you have managed to put a big smile into words. That's what I feel as I read your posts.

Hugs to you, Beth, for lighting the way every day.

Judy

My attitude comes from gratitude in all I have been so blessed with. The true loving spirit in me was shaken horribly when Goliath passed away. Darker spirits will take advantage of anybody during a low time in their life. They will do their best to cripple us mentally, physically, and emotionally................If we let them. No dark spirit is going to take away my joy and happiness and keep me crumbled and broken, for it would like nothing more. The true spirit that lies within me is a much more powerful spirit than a dark one. My prayers are answered when I look within and allow my true spirit to bring sunshine to me and all others around me. That divine intervention is what lights the way for me and in turn I can share this with others and help them find their way.

No Judy, I don't read back to my original posting of Goliath's death anymore. But, I can remember where I was at that horrible time. I feel the distance I have come just through how I feel and how I present to others here and all of the other people in my everyday life outside of this forum. There is so much to gain in life from birth to death and all that happens inbetween.

I am sooooooooo glad that you feel my smile Judy, for it is genuine. There is much for me to smile about today and if there is a tomorrow I may just have something brand new to smile about. And if there isn't something new to smile about, all I have to do is close my eyes and look deep inside for the sunshine in my heart and let it's rays radiate upon me.

Hugs right back atcha Judy and much love to you as well. Beth

I know how hard this can be. I lost Sherry only 4 weeks ago and am having horrible guilt for not taking her to the vet in time.

Rena

Joanne: You said: Love isn't supposed to hurt, is it? You would think not but when it is taken away, after you have had it, that is what hurts but that's why we have to remember the good memories that don't hurt to think about.


Rena: I am so sorry to hear you lost Sherry 4 weeks ago. I see you have started a topic about Sherry and I will go and read your story. Just think about the fact that: we can't feel guilty about something out of our control. When it is time for these babies to leave us..that is when it is taken out of our control.

Joanne: I think you had something very special with Rassy cat and while you loved all the others...that special bond you had with him is holding onto you and you are holding onto him as best you can even if it means thinking about guilt. Just remember the good memories and let go of the others. Letting go doesn't mean you are letting go of him..only of anything negative connected to his passing.

Judy

Yeah, Joanne: I know what you mean about missing the little things.

I realized this morning when talking to Lucky, I called him Little Guy...it seemed so natural to say without thinking. I guess after having him 16 1/2 years....it was too automatic. I usually catch myself cause it only happens once in a while but today it slipped out before I thought to catch it.

Do you ever call any of your others Rassy Cat?

Judy

Joanne: I used to have trouble telling Little Guy and Keeper apart so I understand what you mean about looka likes.

It was easier when they became adults but even then I wasn't always right. Except if I picked one up then I really knew who I was holding cause their fur was so different even though they were brothers.

I hope to hear good news about Moose. I have been watching your thread for the vet results on him.

Yeah..blue days...I do miss my boy, Little Guy. There are times I just sit and wish all 3 were here again, each doing their own thing. The boys were so gentle all the time. the girl was simply a diva.
Those years seemed to go by fast.

I know you had Rassy longer than I had Little Guy but we can only be grateful for each day we were blessed with them when they had a quality of life. I know it was reaching for the moon but I wished many times mine would go into their twenties...I had read so many do.

Little Guy groomed his brother and followed his sister everywhere (usually much to her annoyance). I guess he was the one who bonded of all 3. His brother was friendly too but there was something about Little Guy's gentleness and being so careful he never hurt us by claws out while walking on us..things like that. He was more into allowing hugs...that was nice.

I see them all everyday in the pictures I have everywhere. They are happy in those photos and that makes me smile but also makes me miss them even more.

May you find some peace and comfort Judy in looking at the moon. This is such a quiet and peaceful sight for me.

Beth: Thank you for the moon picture...it is beautiful and yes, it is a peaceful scene..I can imagine you outside looking up at it and the universe that is so much bigger than all of us and yet it is the problems we have down here that we have to deal with but it is nice to imagine a peaceful feeling. I used to feel that way about waterfalls..they seemed peaceful.


Joanne: I am so sorry to hear about Whiskers. I hope all this gets cleared up soon. It is heartbreaking enough when we lose our special ones but when very young ones are put through hard times....that too is heartbreaking. Best wishes for Whiskers and all your babies.

It has been 8 months yesterday since I lost Little Guy. Again, I can't help but remember last year at this time he was here and he was fat and sassy, healthy and happy. How much can change is so little a time............

Joanne: I am glad to hear Whiskers is doing better. This past year has truly been a horrible one for the both of us..in losing the precious ones we did. I know in my lifetime I have lost many over the years because I always had one or more in my life but I never went through what you did..losing 3 within a few months of each other. That's like triple shock and triple grief.

My triple grief was losing my 3 only a few years apart and that is heartbreaking also.

We so wish we could have them here again but we can't have that. Even so, we are always glad we had them in our lives.

There is something special all animal lovers have in their lives that people who do not like animals will never know. They will not go through the pain of losing a special furbaby but they will never ever know any of the joy of having them as part of their life.

I'm glad I am part of the caring group for when I receive that wonderful love these babies give us so unconditionally..it helps bear that part of life that can seem so uncaring and cold at times. These babies enable us to truly be ourselves at all times with them and feel very loved in spite of our faults.