Doubly Thankful

My little cat Orio was gone all yesterday. I was a little surprised when I didn't see her first thing in the morning, but I didn't think much of it since I was getting ready to leave the house. However, when I returned home around midday and the kitty was no where to be found... I started thinking this was mighty strange. And not at all normal. Unprecedented.

Orio has pretty clear priorities, and breakfast is one of them. As is supper. (And chai time on school days, when she is always on the porch with us to sniff out any crumbs... or even to steal any unattended snacks!) Not only is she always ready for meals and handouts, but she's also always in or around the house. I don't think she'd ever ventured farther than the boundaries of the large property. As yesterday wore on, I grew less and less hopeful of seeing my little cat again.

I found myself starting to grieve. But in the grief I decided to focus on thankfulness. I thanked God for the gift that little cat had been to me. The joy and laughter she'd brought, how she'd been a little light during a stressful period. How I'd had something to take care of and love--which, I could now see, had made my house feel a little bit more like a home. I marveled at God's kindness in providing me that little furry bundle of blessing for the last six months, even as I cried to think that it was probably over.

The house felt rather empty, so after nightfall I was grateful to go to my friends' house for a movie. When I returned home, trying not to wonder whether I'd cry myself to sleep... There was Orio ready to greet me! What relief! She was none the worse for whatever adventures she'd had over the previous 24 hours, although she did consume a surprising amount of food by morning. I'm actually very comforted by the fact that she could be gone so long and return home again. I won't worry so much if she does it again!

Mostly, I'm just very, very thankful. I've been grateful for my kitten from the beginning, and yesterday was certainly a good reminder. And now I get to enjoy the blessing longer! Kindness upon kindness.

16 June 2013: I posted this originally on facebook, because I didn't want to talk about my cat again on the blog. Also, I felt pretty silly about how upsetting the experience was for me. But my reason for sharing it at all then is my reason for adding it to the blog now: God used my missing kitty to transform my thinking about loss, about his gifts, and about him as a giver. That he did all of that, giving me a thankful heart, before the cat came home, profoundly captured my attention. And that is worth sharing. :)