What greater gift than the love of a cat?
~Charles Dickens
Several springs ago I planted a hollyhock flower underneath our family room window. Every spring without fail the hollyhock would push forth a strong green stem from its earthy winter resting place. Its dark red flowers would open up to claim its rightful place in the sun. My husband would sit in his favorite chair watching TV with a perfect view of the hollyhock as it gently swayed in the summer breeze.
"That is my favorite of all the flowers you planted," he said.
I tended to it faithfully in hopes it would live forever and provide him with one of life's simple pleasures. That following May, without warning, he passed away, forcing me to live in a world full of fear, pain, and loneliness. My life and my children's lives were shaken to the core as the pillar of our small family was suddenly stripped from us. My world was shattered and I wondered if I could ever pick up the pieces and continue my own existence. Even though I had four children, they had their own lives, with children, jobs, and their own homes to tend to, leaving me with the feeling that I had no one left to care for.
With nothing but time I went outside to brush away the dead leaves and other debris left by the winter from around his favorite flower. I was anticipating its reliable bloom to sway once again in the summer breeze as if it would bring his spirit to life again.
"I don't know how to live without you," I whispered while brushing away the tears that would not stop falling. My heart was heavy, and my soul lonely and scared.
Just as I reached to grab the dead leaves I heard a hiss coming from behind the stem. Startled, I jerked my hand away. My heart pounded, and my vision was blurry from the tears that filled my eyes. I feared there was a snake under the leaves. I quickly stood up to leave the creature alone in hopes it would eventually move on. Blinking several times to force the tears away, my vision cleared. My fear vanished and compassion rushed into my heart instead. What I thought was a snake turned out to be a tiny black fur ball trying to scare away its intruder. I reached for the kitten and it hissed again. Without hesitation I picked it up and began to stroke its tiny head.
"Poor little thing, what are you doing under there?" I said as I carried it into the house.
"Where did you come from and how did you get all the way here?" I said as I tore up lunchmeat into tiny bite-size pieces. The little cat growled like a large lion as it devoured the food. I laughed at this tiny cat with a fierce heart. "Poor little thing, you must be starving."
Since I had never had an inside cat, I took him back outside after his meal. Unfortunately he found the outside drainpipe, decided to explore and got stuck. After much chaos and dread, he was finally retrieved with some assistance. Realizing how vulnerable he was, I decided he would share my home and gave him what I thought was a fitting name, Piper.
Piper has become a magnificent animal with a shiny, sleek coat and he has filled some of the void in my life. He provides me with company on those lonely nights when the house is quiet except for the sound of the TV and his purring as I stroke his head. On days when my world is dark he lightens my heart and makes me laugh, because to this day, even though he is big and strong and is provided with all the food he needs, he still continues to growl while eating. His strong will and determination inspire me to carry on with my life the best I can.
At the time it seemed strange that a little kitten would appear under the hollyhock that my husband so loved. But what better gift was there to give someone who felt so alone in the world, and who was able to give a tiny creature a loving home? Piper and I needed one another more than either of us knew. The hollyhock never bloomed again. It was as if it was transformed into a tiny kitten. Perhaps the kitten was a gift from my husband to give me something to care for and to give me pleasure, just as the hollyhock did for him.
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