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The End of an Era
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The End of an Era The End of an Era It has taken some time for me to be able to write this post. Seeing the words on the screen through the tears is difficult, so I waited until I was able to compose myself to break the news to everyone. Some of you may roll your eyes when reading this, and that is only because you choose not to understand. I never condemn anyone for their opinion, as anyone who knows me will testify to. However, if you've ever heard the phrase, "You don't know what you've got until it's gone.", then I hope you will gain a bit of insight from what I am about to say. For twenty years, I was the proud owner of a beautiful black cat named Merlin. Many people didn't believe me when I told them how old he was. Typically, cats rarely live longer than fifteen or so years. I knew he wasn't going to live forever, and keeping that thought in mind, I was able to cherish each and every moment we spent together. Two decades ago, my girlfriend at the time, and I took a stray female cat into our home. It wasn't long before we discovered she was pregnant, and soon gave birth to a litter of nine kittens. Merlin was the first to be born, and because I was the first one to physically touch him, it created a bond between us that few were able to understand. He was so small, I could nearly hold him in the palm of my hand. This made it easy for him to crawl into small spaces to hide. In fact, he was so adept at it, it would take me hours to find him. The problem wasn't his skill at hiding, but the fact that he would fall ASLEEP in his hiding place. Since he could disappear anytime he wanted, like a wizard or magician, I named him Merlin, after the most famous wizard of all. He became my shadow, always nearby, even at the door when I came home from work. He preferred to either be in my lap, at my feet, or lying on top of my recliner as I sat watching TV. Recently, I noticed that his age had begun to take a toll on his mobility. Even climbing into the litter box seemed to be a difficult undertaking. This past Sunday, I went to run some errands, and returned early in the afternoon. I felt an inexplicable urge to spend time with him, and I was quick to give in to it. I brushed his fur, removing any loose hair, and afterward, I gave him a bath. That was the first time he ever seemed to actually enjoy it. He was purring the entire time, and didn't try to jump out of the tub to run away as he used to. After getting him nice and clean, I dried him off, and sat in the living room with him in my lap, purring just as loudly as ever. Occasionally, I would stop stroking his fur when something interesting on TV caught my attention. He would quickly raise his head, giving a soft "meow" to remind me to continue. We sat there for several hours. So long, in fact, that I didn't realize until it was well past midnight. When I finally decided it was bedtime, I tried moving my legs to wake him. He wouldn't move. His breathing was very shallow, and he was unresponsive. I knew, somehow, that the end was near. Less than an hour later, it was over. I can definitely say that it was painful to lose him, and I'm certain that the memories will provoke tears from time to time, but I do not look back with regret. He spent his first moments of life with me, as well as his last. He was born into my arms, and he died there. I cannot imagine a better farewell. It was as if that was all he needed to say goodbye. To those of you that are thinking, "It was only a cat.", think about this. A pet only wants ONE thing from you. That thing is love. It NEEDS food, water, shelter, and a clean place to do its business, but the only thing it wants, is your affection. It's not going to ask you for money, or to borrow the car, promising to bring it back. The only thing a pet wants is for you to show how much you care. I can proudly say that I loved my cat, more than I would be able to explain to anyone. I rarely passed up the chance to show him. It could've been different for me, but I knew what I had, and that someday it would be gone. I could've come home and found his lifeless body. Instead, I had the chance to send him on his way with the one thing that I never denied him. Love. To all, I say this. Don't wait to show your loved ones how much you care. Your next chance may be the last one you'll ever get. Make each one count. It is true. You don't know what you've got until it's gone. GLC |
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12/3/2008 7:52 pm |
GLC, Sorry for your loss! My prayers are with you. Hugs~
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12/3/2008 9:19 pm |
OH, GLC... I'm sorry to hear about Merlin. You were able to give him a good life though, and he couldn't have asked for more.
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GLC, you have my deepest sympathies and condolences on your loss. I'll be praying for ya bud. Who can you call on to save the day? Why none other than... Agent 
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11/21/2009 12:16 pm |
he sounds very beautiful. I know this was almost a year ago u wrote this but  's to u all the same.
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