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Before I Let it Go

I have been away for a week giving myself time to clear my head.  Mike, the cat, passed away on January 25 after being with us for nearly 17 years.   He lived in two of our homes and spent 24 hours per day inside.  All of this is to say, Mike the cat, was quite a part of our lives.

He was featured in this blog several times (I found at least nine posts with photos).  Just place ¨Mike¨ in the search engine to see those posts.  He is missed and before I let the pain go I wanted to write about what I learned from Mike, the cat.

  1. Be proud of what you are.  Mike carried himself with elegance.  His tail was always high and he literally strutted.  His jumps both up and down were always graceful.  This cat had no self-image problems.
  2. Let out your true you.  Mike truly liked people and he was happy to let everyone and anyone know it.  People knew he had quite a personality because he shared his love.  And if you pet him, he was immediately your friend.
  3. Let others know what you want.  If you knew Mike you know he had very few wants, but he would go for those wants.  If it was attention, he would hop in your lap, knocking what you had in your hands out so those hands were free to pet him.  If he was hungry, he´d be in your face until his bowl was full.  But once he had what he wanted, he let it go and forgot the injustice.
  4. Be fastidious.  Mike kept himself clean, well groomed and carried himself with confidence.  It was as if he knew he was a purebred Tonkinese cat and was proud of it.  In the end he so appreciated being cleaned and brushed by me.  He wanted his standards upheld.
  5. Focus on the best of a person.  Mike knew how to deal with both Paul and me, and we are quite different.  He knew who to talk to and for how long.  He knew who would brush him and who would gently stroke him for hours.  Mike was good at typing people to get their best.
  6. Enjoy to the fullest what you receive.  Mike would lean into your hand as you pet him and give you full eye contact.  He so took in the time you spent with him, he relished each touch, each snuggle.  And he enjoyed it every time.  Mike did live in the moment.
  7. Forgive quickly.  There were times when Mike would become upset with me because I was away too long, or I put him in a baby cocoon, or made him wear a knitted mini-cake has a hat, but he forgave me quickly.  He was not one to hold a grudge.
  8. Be memorable.  Mike did all the above and that made him a cat you couldn´t forget.  Even people who weren´t all that fond of cats, in general, enjoyed Mike, in particular.  If you met him you too would remember him.  
My list was longer, but Mike wouldn´t want me to over-share.  I think I will be able to let the pain go now and move on.   Mike, oh boy, you were one of a kind.  RIP.




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