You’ll Know When It’s Time

It has been a sad time at our home. Our fur baby Tiffany (Tiffy) has been sick for a few months now and I wasn’t able to write about it. But if you search for ‘Tiffy’ on my blog, you’ll find many posts about our resident cat expert in healing through ‘fur therapy’ as she has been with us almost 14 years, snuggling in our arms and hearts with her strong purr healing.

But the time has come and as I write, with tears streaming down my face, I can’t believe we had to say goodbye to her. Anyone who knows us will remember how chatty our Tiffy was as she never stopped talking/meowing to us until she got her way…and she did get her way more often than not. She and I spent every morning presently together, as she demanded to be held like a baby and snuggled after my first sip of coffee. I can’t even begin to describe how bereft I feel without my little love.

I wish I didn’t know when it was time. I wish I could have healed her so that she could have stayed with us longer. My heart is breaking without her here. My sons and I are feeling her absence as she was such a force of love here. I thought that when our first kitty Chessie (you can search for her too) passed that my heart broke wide open, but Tiffy’s loss has broken all of our hearts. Thank goodness we still have Tigger as I hope she is ready for her very needy family to get some fur therapy. May Tiffy have taught her well.

Fortunately, each precious kitty has her own set of strengths so perhaps we have to wait to see what Tigger’s are now that Tiffy has passed. Tiffy was a force to be reckoned with and so now Tigger will step up. I know it won’t be the same as each relationship is different, but as I sit here typing to you quietly, Tigger is next to me, somehow understanding that we need each other. Her calm quiet presence soothes me.

Thank you for letting me share. Keep shining your heartlights!

Shine On!

xo

Winsome Winter

Icicles! Icicles! Icicles!

In addition to the massive snowfall, the gusty winds and the freezing cold, the house has developed icicles!  These are the biggest ones I’ve ever seen!  What a winsome winter we’re having here!  Thanks Mother Nature!

In the photos, you probably can’t see that there are some which are even taller than me (because they end behind the banister on the stairway), but I think they are beautiful.  When the sun was shining on them and they were glistening, they were magnificent.  Unfortunately the photos I took don’t do them justice.

Snowfall and morning moon with a snow drift in the bottom forefront! Farm house across the road.

The temperatures with wind chills factored in are reaching – 5 to – 20 which is mighty cold for Jersey.  But we are cozy in the house, so that’s all that counts.  We had some snow drifts that were about 3 feet high in places, so they weren’t shoveled.  But the driveway is clear, thanks to a few snowblowers and some back breaking shoveling.  Thank God, all is well.

A little Caturday surprise before the tree is removed.

How are you doing in your area?  Snow?  Cold?  Windy?  Sunny?  Warm?  I hope that whatever your weather, you are nestled all snug in your home like our kitty Tigger.  As always, I wish you a lovely Saturday, filled with blessings, goodness and with a heartlight that shines brilliantly!

Shine On!

xo

 

Fur Therapy for Melancholy

I confess, I’ve been melancholy.  I know it may be hard for some of you to believe, but it’s true.  And when those moments hit me, I shy away from everyone.  I guess it’s because I don’t feel I have a right to be melancholy because I do have such a blessed life.  I am here.  I have survived much, including breast cancer.  I have love, shelter and food.  I have a beautiful life with a loving family.  It’s not that there’s anything significant missing.  It just comes to me at times, this sadness.  The overall feeling that I’m…simply…sad.

It doesn’t happen often.  Most times, I can hide it away until it dissipates ~ my family, none the wiser.  But one family member always knows and for her, I’m truly grateful.  She lifts me up and comforts me without a word (but with plenty of purrs!)  For me, sometimes, there simply nothing like the love from a treasured pet to warm your heart and to soothe a hurting soul.  It is to her (and to her ‘sister’ Chessie who passed away last year.)  I don’t think I could live in a home without a pet.  There’s simply nothing like the love from an animal to warm your soul.

I’ve told you how she insists on being picked up and held like a baby.  She makes me stop, sit and be at peace almost every morning.  As the photo above shows, we spend many mornings on the couch for a few precious minutes looking into each other’s eyes.  I pet her, she purrs her healing rumble into my soul and I feel like all is right in my world ~ the Presents of Presence.

Perhaps you feel like I’m being over-dramatic ~ that it’s silly to be so attached to an animal?  But have you ever felt that complete and utter engaging love with another soul?  When I hold her and her eyes shut, her purring warbles in my chest and our breathing matches, I am reminded of how to find confidence and trust in those I love and in whom love me.  That complete surrender into a trusting place where there is no fear, no worry, nothing but peaceful abandon.  There is only this sweet moment.

It is then, that my daily lesson is re-energized into my soul.  It is then, that I understand what love is.  It is then that I crave to go out in the world and Send Out Love.  Our precious morning moments do that for me.  We comfort each other, each in our own way.  As I nuzzle her in a bear hug before I put her down, my eyes close and I silently utter a thank you to the Universe for this precious life.

I’ve watched her work her magic with my sons and husband as well.  Meowing her demands to be held, they comply.  The tenderness that I witness between them increases the love factor in our home.  Unconditional pet love brightens our home base.  We call it fur therapy here.  When you just need a little love from a pet, a snuggle, some soft purring reverberating in your chest to heal your sadness.  And Tiffy, in all her utter catness, simply obliges.  Funny how she just knows that hurting soul needs a bit of extra love.  She calmly allows all the petting, holding and hugging needed without fuss.  She surrenders to giving her all by simply being herself.

What a precious lesson to emulate!

Shine On!

xo

Caturday’s Rabbit Rabbit

March 1st, marks the first day of the month and you know what do!  If you haven’t ever heard of this tradition, please feel free to check it out here!   It always makes me smile to say Rabbit Rabbit on the first of the month.  And speaking of smiling, because it’s Caturday, I want to send you a giggle I found this morning that’s guaranteed to make you smile today!  It takes less than a minute.  Please, indulge me.  Everyone deserves to find their smile today!

After all, you might think you know someone, you believe you know what they’re saying and when you’re just not looking, you might not believe how they are talking behind your back!  Has this ever happened in your house?  Do you know for sure?

Shine On!  Smile On!

xo