Heartache is Inevitable

Fall is in the air. The trees are starting to slowly turn colors, the days are cooler and less humid, less flies and mosquitos, yes the changing of the seasons has begun again.

It has been such a busy time for me. I’m trying to use up the last remaining  vegetables in my garden. I have literally had non stop company for the past month. I’m looking forward to the end of my company and resuming my life again. I need to start bringing plants in for the winter and preparing the barn also for cold weather.

In the midst of all the busyness I have experienced in the past few weeks I also have been forced to face the fact that my dear beloved cat Arthur is missing. He was such a charmer, he was always expressing himself verbally to us. He was a great asset in eliminating mice and chipmunks from the premises. He was best friends with my other cat Colonel Mustard. He has been gone for 3 weeks and though I have prayed and sought the Lord for his safe return, I know I must face the inevitable.

I was just telling my husband that I thought for certain my next animal that would pass would be my dog. She is going on 14. I never thought it would be Arthur, just 2 1/2. His comment was, “we have no promise of tomorrow “. We don’t like to hear those words, much less think about them. We might be in the prime of our life, no health issues and everything looking great in our future. However, this has nothing  to do with how many days God has appointed to us to live. I remember my grandmother had a debilitating stroke in her mid fifties. It caused a severe handicap for the rest of her life which went into the 80s. We all thought my grandfather who appeared in perfect health would easily outlive her. He had a massive heart attack and died instantly and she outlived him by several years. She also outlived 2 of her 7 children.

Fall is quickly approaching and the glorious summer days coming to an end. I realize those carefree times of swinging on the porch swing with Arthur are also over. It is with incredible sadness that I write these words and realize that the last time I saw Arthur was truly the last time. Since my children are older and not constantly interacting with me, my animals play such a pivotal part in my life. They are a huge part of each and every day. My cats and dog faithfully go with me each day to the barn to feed the goats and chickens. They come to the garden to weed and pick vegetables. They are literally my friends and companions.

I’m grateful for the time I had to spend with Arthur and the joy he brought to all of us. I know the sadness will pass in time and the future will hold another cat for me to love. If you are an animal lover you can understand the loss an animal has on your family.

The seasons are changing and my life has also been challenged once again. It makes me long for eternity where there will be no heartache and no more tears. What a glorious day it will be.