Our beloved furry friend transitioned into the spirit world a year ago tonight.
The kitty statuette on the left of the above photo is an urn containing her ashes.
We didn’t really adopt Blackcat. She adopted us.
She was a feral cat outside our window for many years.
She distrusted humans. They almost certainly hurt her. An x-ray would eventually reveal she had been shot at some time in her life.
But we crossed paths. We fed her and earned her trust. And we became a part of her life 15 years ago.
On a cold winter’s night, she needed a warm place to sleep and we had one.
Eventually she moved in with us and became part of our family.
Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is truly saying goodbye to a member of your family.
It is gut wrenching.
She brought us love, laughter and joy.
But on this night a year ago, there were tears, sorrow and grief.
On the evenings before she passed, I would gently pet her.
She purred, as if to say, “I understand. And I love you too.”
Just before midnight, after much reluctance and soul searching, Beth took her to an animal hospital nearby to humanely end her suffering. I was working a Spurs broadcast that night, so I met them at the hospital in time to say goodbye.
The 15 years we had with Blackcat had ended. Moments like these remind us of the fleeting nature of our time together.
When I started my car to pull out of the hospital parking lot, the dashboard clock glowed 12:00 midnight and a song began on a random satellite radio station I happened to be tuned to.
The song was “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri.
I would later learn it was from the “Twilight” movie saga, which I have never seen, and I had not heard the song before.
In the raw emotion and grief of the moment, it was as if a cosmic DJ, the Universe or Blackcat herself played this song just for me.
Here are the lyrics…
Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I’m afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer
I have died everyday, waiting for you
Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I’ll love you for a thousand more
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything, take away
What’s standing in front of me
Every breath, every hour has come to this
One step closer
I have died everyday, waiting for you
Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I’ll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed, I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years
I’ll love you for a thousand more
One step closer
One step closer
I have died everyday, waiting for you
Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I’ll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed, I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years
I’ll love you for a thousand more
Tears streamed down my face, clouding my eyes and transforming the passing city lights, whirling by the windshield, into streaking translucent tears across the starry sky.
Souls cross paths. Human souls and animal souls.
We meet, we dance, we love.
And all too soon, we say goodbye. At least for now.
But that love is eternal.
And we will meet again.
For a thousand years. And a thousand more.
