Our Favorite Flower

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Our Favorite Flower

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Beautiful and prickly

like a rose that rambles as it grows

Yet – elusive and elegant

as an evening primrose

You bloomed in our garden

according to your own schedule

not ours

Your beauty not fading

like so many other flowers

We will miss you dainty one

each time we pass by

your favorite outdoor beds

The rhododendrons and ferns

will cool the earth for birds instead

We’ll miss the hum of your purr

and the feel of your fur

But you’ll bloom as our favorite flower

in our hearts forever.

Wendy/2013  ( for Mitty)

Ten years were too short for us to be with you, Mitty.  Part of me wishes we had kept you in the house all the time.  But you were not a tame soul. I’m so sorry that you tried to cross the road one last time… we’ll see you later on the other side. xo

Blessings ~ Wendy

PS – Mitty was hit about an hour after I put up my previous post.  The vet strongly advised that she be put to sleep.  We already had suspected that was the case and were prepared.  I’ve never lost a pet this way before and never want to again.  Our younger cat has been raised since birth to be indoors and will remain so…  I sensed the Lord’s grace and comfort through it all.  Mitty will be missed by each one of us.

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63 thoughts on “Our Favorite Flower

  1. Wendy, my heart goes out to you and your family at the loss of your beloved cat. I know how they become such a part of our family life. She was lovely and so uniquely marked.

  2. Losing a pet is never easy, no matter how, or when it happens. Your thoughts were wonderful. Steve

  3. I’m so sorry Wendy praying for you that pain won’t last too long dear friend. It’s interesting how God uses any death to remind us of how vulnerable we are without him near to us.

    1. Thank you, Shazza. I tend to grieve intense but brief. I learned the hard way not to avoid the stages of grief. There’s no shortcut.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  4. Hi Wendy, my heart is going out to you, and you’re in my thoughts and prayers. I love the picture you posted of Mitty; she was a beautiful cat. My husband and I are animal lovers, we have two dogs. We call ourselves “Pet Parents”, as they do become “our children”.

    1. Thank you, Teresa. I am always caught off guard by the bond that is forged with pets. They love us so unconditionally – like their Creator does.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  5. Wendy, I grieve with you as someone who has had a cat all through childhood (who passed away at 17 right after I got married) and now “Larry”, who turns 14 this year and lived with V before we got married (and now is a gracious, sweet older kitty with my children)! I get a great sense of Mitty’s personality from your poem and words of remembrance. Hugs to you, friend!

    1. Thank you, Alison. I thought that I had managed not to grow too fond of our autistic-like Mitty. I was wrong. A prior cat who was all cuddles and eye contact lived to be 20 even as a mainly outdoor cat. I never thought I’d love another cat as much as Kitty – but Mitty proved me wrong.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  6. That is sooooo sad. 🙁 We had two cats that were hit by cars, Tazz and Maytag, and we grieved so much for their loss, so I can feel your heartache at this time. (((Hugs)))

    1. Thank you for the hugs, Dee. If we did not already have our other cat I doubt I’d be in a hurry to risk loving another one for a long while… Sheba is lapping up all the extra attention.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  7. My heart aches for you Wendy. I know how that loss feels myself so I know how deep the pain can be. I’m so grateful you have photos and memories. { }

    1. Thank you, Rick. Yes, pictures are healing and the kids have been sorting through some of them. She wasn’t easy to photograph so we took advantage of opportunities when they arose…

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy

    1. Thank you, Marsha. As each day passes I feel better. Today, instead of just noticing her missing meow outside – I noticed the chorus of birds.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  8. So sad to hear of Mitty’s accident. Never easy to lose a catkid. Our furry family members are dear creatures that give us joy.

  9. i don’t know how it feels losing a pet , but i can feel your pain in your words. losing anyone is terrible be it human or animals, they become close to us very much.

    1. Losing a pet, for me, is similar to losing a relative except that I notice the pet’s absence more since it shared our home with us. It’s a simpler grief since pets love without strings attached.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

    1. It certainly catches one off guard. They are so humble, defenseless, and sweet – like some others in our society. Thank you, Debbie.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  10. Pets steal our hearts. No, we let them do that. We feel for you for we have lost our dear pets, too. Comfort to you. There must be pets in heaven because they give and receive so much love, and God is love.

    1. Thank you, Calee – hugs for your late Sara. So you know exactly what this week has been like… It’s getting easier as we have been sharing some good memories and digging up old pictures of when she was a kitten.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

    1. Julian, thank you for your kind words. Writing helps me sort things out and comments from you and everyone else helped a lot. Ian and I have taught our kids it’s okay to talk about death.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy

  11. Dear Wendy,
    I remember, as a child, feeling bad because I had mourned more for my cat than a great-uncle that had died; but it was the relationship that made the difference! I feel your pain – my last cat was hit, and I still think of her! In His Care, Wanda

    1. Wanda, thank you, I can really relate to what you just wrote. It’s about ‘relationships’ – whether it’s with people, animals, and especially God.

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  12. I know of your sadness as our very first cat died by a similar fate, hit by a large truck while trying to cross the street to our driveway. He was heading home. These are lovely photos of Mitty to treasure. I pray you find some comfort in the days ahead when you remember all the good things your kitty brought to you and your family. Sending you a big hug.

    1. Thank you for the hug, Marilyn. I will miss her sudden appearances between shrubs while I was working in the garden. But I know the birds won’t miss her…

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  13. May your shared grief lessen the pain in your hearts. I too have lost pets, not that way.
    At the moment we pet sit amphibians. And enjoy the pets of other family members. The loss of out last faithful companion was one that has not been, nor will be replaced for a long while.

    1. Thank you, Jules. You are right, I’ve discovered that shared pain is lessoned pain. It’s a good thing we already have an indoor cat or else we’d not be getting another one – possibly ever…

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  14. Hi Wendy,
    I’ve nominated you for the WordPress Family Blog Award. To find out more visit my latest post. 😀

    1. Thank you, Lyn, for thinking of my blog! I don’t participate in awards any longer; however, I appreciate the kind gesture. Congratulations on your award!

      Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo

  15. Oh Wendy I just found this post. I too had to much my little precious friend to sleep just weeks afterward. No words can describe my pain. Grieving with you.

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