Super Sad. (& update)

Our next door neighbors had this sweet little back cat. It loved hanging out in our yard (much to Scarlett's chagrin) and it kept the grasshoppers in my garden to a minimum. Just Monday morning as I was taking Griffin to school, he came out and saw the cat lounging in our flower bed. He LOVES cats, so he got SO happy and started squealing, pointing and clapping as he tried to make his way down to her as fast as he could. The cat was used to kids (it had three of it's own) so she just sat there and let him toddle over to her. It made Griffin's whole morning.

Yesterday morning Drew saw our next door neighbor briskly carrying a clearly limp and lifeless kitty away from her yard. He thinks she was trying to hide it from her kids before school. We're not sure what happened, but since it was an outside cat, Drew thinks it was either hit by a car or a predator got to it. That evening while I was making dinner, I heard tiny mournful sobs coming from the front yard. I looked out and saw one of the little girls who had lost her friend sitting in her garden, hugging her knees and rocking back and forth. It broke my heart. I got three journals together- one for each of the kids. I know when I was young and dealing with grief, or any strong emotion, writing helped. I hope to see them today.

This morning as we were going to school again, Griffin ran to the edge of the porch where he saw the cat on Monday and started pointing to the garden where she sat. We walked down and he looked and looked, but couldn't find what he was looking for.

It's funny how a life (even a tiny cat life) can touch you so briefly, bring so much joy, and still leave a void when it is gone. Griffin is too young to understand, and he will likely forget about her in a few days. But I hope the kids next door someday realize how special it was that they got to have her, and that their memories are warm and happy.


**********update**********

I saw two of the kids outside playing when I got home last night. I asked about the cat and they both immediately opened up about how sad it was and how hard it has been. I told them I had something for them and gave them the journals. Their faces lit up in the most incredible way. I could see happiness touching their eyes, the corners of their mouths. Being able to do that for them gave me so much joy. Later that night I went to close the door and lock up and found a bunch of gorgeous handpicked flowers and handwritten thank you notes on my porch.

What amazing kids. I keep getting all misty thinking about it. I love that generosity and compassion and warmth are things that we can keep going around...