On Being Somebody's Forever Human

Dear John,

 

I was checking Facebook tonight and read a post from Jackson Galaxy's page. It was one of the rescue stories, but this one was written from the cat's point of view instead of the human's. And it brought me to tears. I hope that my animals will talk about me that way when they're in Heaven.

 

I know they love me - all of our animals have loved us very much. And we've both said that we wanted to be the kind of person our dogs believed us to be. I want to be the kind of person that my dogs and cats will say good things about after their lives here are over.

 

That is what I'm pondering tonight. Do Naomi and Caleb tell people about us, how we brought them home and loved them? Does Naomi know now that we went through so much, with all the moving we did, to be able to have her with us in all those places we rented? I was certain that Caleb always knew how much we pinched the budget and sacrificed for his cancer treatment. And I know that Jethro tells the cats all about his wonderful, heroic Daddy who went to Heaven. I hope one day the cats will tell about the dog and human who brought them inside and fed and loved them, kept them warm and safe, and never made them live alone outside again.

 

The way we treat animals really is a good measure of our spirits, isn't it? You and I are so softhearted toward them. So tell Caleb and Naomi how much I love and miss them. If you see Duchess - she might be with Mama - give her a scratch under the chin for me, and stroke her feathers. She always liked that. Pet Prince, and the thirty-four tadpoles, and Sylvester the lizard, and the toads that lived in the window well.

 

Tonight I'll sleep cuddled up with Jethro and his three kitties. We're all together here on earth for now. One day we'll join you there. When that day comes, I hope they say good things about me.

 

Love you so very much,

Joan.