It had been a really rough week for my friend. He is a medical professional, but had been unhappy in his work for some time. The sudden breakup had thrown him off stride, leaving him bewildered and with a deep sense of loneliness. The one that he thought of as his best friend, was gone. A bit depressed, he left his office and walked across the deserted parking lot to his car. It was late and dark. He heard the sound as he approached his car, the insistent cry of a baby animal. He looked around, but saw nothing.
When he unlocked his car, and opened the door, the light illuminated a tiny kitten, standing on trembling legs near his front tire. He reached down, scooped it up, and, sliding into his car, he examined it. He knew what to look for: eyes were barely open, legs not fully developed – three weeks old, tops. It’s cries told him the poor thing was hungry. The timing was perfect, the need acute, for both kitty and man. Over the next two weeks, a visit to the vet, a crash course in raising a kitten and kitty-proofing his home, significant purchases at Petco, and the adoption was complete. Chloe was welcomed into the family, a tiny life-saver.
Over the next two decades, beginning with bottle-feeding bonding, Chloe maintained her status as the center of the family, the protector of the man, the provider of endless entertaining activities, loving encounters and comfort. She was a one-person kitty/cat, yet she had a way of guardedly welcoming all comers to ‘her’ home. She always dressed for the season, and never missed an opportunity to steal the show.
My friend found, as we all do, that there is a down-side to pet adoption. In Chloe’s case, nine lives were not enough, when the time came where quality of life trumps the wish that our loved one would never leave us. Reality hits and hurts. Unless you have experienced the loss of a loved one, human or pet, it’s a persisting pain that is hard to describe. My friend discovered that he missed little things that he hardly ever noticed before, quirks that were unique to Chloe, and in the discovery, the pain of love is revisited.
We take some comfort in what Dr. David Jeremiah has to say about the importance of loving pets in our lives. He points out that what we think about heaven determines how we live each day, and how the pain of loss is softened. He tells us that the Bible does not clearly state whether we will see our pets in heaven, but the scriptures do point out the presence of animals in heaven. So why not our pets?
We have a sense of the character of God and His love for us. He gives good things to those who ask Him and gives us richly all things to enjoy. In your mind of faith, heaven will be a place of joy and peace and the richest blessings, as we live in the presence of God and enjoy His good gifts for eternity. I’m convinced that all our loved ones will be there. There will be Chloe, right next to The Throne, alert as ever.
A Prayer for Loss of Chloe:
May you find peace, hope and healing in the Father’s warm embrace. May you feel the light of the Holy Spirit and the faith of Jesus Christ. May you accept the loss of Chloe as part of the natural cycle of life and death. May you hold on to the beautiful memories with clarity and joy, and let the grief, guilt and pain pass through you without leaving dark shadows. Amen.
For What It’s Worth.
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