Joel

Two Octobers ago, my husband Dave and my son Evan were walking home from basketball practice when they heard a tiny “meow” coming from under the noisy highway overpass near our house.  They followed the sound to its source and found a little, gray tabby kitten sitting by himself in the weeds behind the guardrail.   Both of them ran home to get a cardboard box and an old towel and then ran back down the hill to scoop up the kitten and bring him home.

My children were very excited at the prospect of keeping this little creature, but my husband and I warned them that somebody might be looking for the little fellow.  We called the local SPCA and reported our find.  We were told that if nobody claimed the kitten within a certain amount of time we could keep him.  Sure enough, the designated time period passed, and the kitten – soon to be named Joel (by Evan) - became the newest member of our family.

Joel-y, as we affectionately called him, turned out to be a few months old and was one cool cat right from the beginning.  He adapted quickly to all of the cuddling and loving my three children showered upon him and turned into an affectionate, easygoing companion – quick to roll over on his back in hopes of receiving a good tummy rub each time we approached him.  He slept at the foot of Evan’s bed most nights, and most mornings he could be found lying on the rug outside of my bedroom ready to greet me when I woke up and walk me downstairs for our morning breakfast.

Although Joel was very much a member of our family, he also remained very fond of the outdoors and would spend long days exploring the nooks and crannies of our yard and our neighborhood, only to return home in the afternoon to greet us after school or work and again in the evening to come inside for some much needed rest.  Last Tuesday evening, Joel didn’t come inside at bedtime, and we discovered in the morning that he had been hit by a car and passed away on the grass just in front of our house.  Amidst lots of sorrow and tears, we wrapped him in the quilt from Evan’s bed and buried him before continuing, heavy-hearted, with the regular activities of our busy day.

There are no spiritual principles that can shield us from the sadness of losing a loved one or fill the void that is left behind when someone we’ve held so dear is no longer with us in physical form.  My family is grieving the loss of this beloved pet – each of us in his or her own way – and there is no magic formula for easing the heartbreak.  I take comfort in knowing that Joel’s spirit is alive and well and that his energy is all around us, even as we continue to mourn his loss.  And I have faith that all is divine order, even though the outcome is not what I would have chosen. I am thankful for the depth of love and joy that this little tabby cat brought to my family. AND I'm sad and I miss him.  Rest in peace, Joel-y. 

~REBECCA