I didn’t know it at the time, but an event occurred on this day eight years ago that would change my life. Somewhere in Maryland, a small black kitten was brought into this world. For whatever reason, she and her brothers and sisters were taken to a shelter. Around two months later, she was taken north to an animal shelter in Vermont where they gave her the name Bridget. Two months and ten days after her birth, a very sad man walked into that shelter, saw her hiding under a chair, and fell in love with the little black furball he found there. If you haven’t guessed I was than man, and that little black furball hiding under a chair was Isabella.
When I adopted Isabella, I was suffering from the worst depression of my life. A little over six months before, I’d lost a very important person in my life to a tragic car accident. Susan helped me through that terrible time, but she lived/lives in New York City, or Manhattan as she’d correct me. However, I was alone in Vermont, and I had never felt so alone in my life. The song referenced above (and yes, it came to mind because of the total eclipse today) begins with the lyrics:
Every now and then I get a little bit lonely
Every now and then I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
That pretty much described me eight years ago.
But, Isabella and her love came into my life. It didn’t take her long to get comfortable in her new surroundings, and she began following me all around my apartment. She still prefers to be in the same room where I am. Isabella became a great comfort to me. She’s never been cuddly except laying on my hip and just being near me, but there are times when she looks at me so lovingly, it warms my heart. I’m not sure I’d have survived if I had not adopted that little black kitten named Bridget (that name had to go immediately, my cats are always queens and while there was a 12th century queen of Sweden named Bridget she was a queen consort, not a queen in her own right like Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom or Queen Isabella of Castile).
The picture above of Isabella as a kitten was taken the day I adopted her. The pictures below were taken in the days and weeks after her adoption.
She is magnificent, kitten Isabella!
ReplyDeleteYou will tell us, Joe, how she behaved during the solar eclipse.
Isabella is the PERFECT name for your little ball of fur. You and her are made for each other. đ
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy nice and affectionate Adam is 6yo today too and like Isabella, they chose us.
ReplyDeleteWhen he saw me in that cat shelter room (Aug. 2018) where there were a dozen of kittens, he was the only one who came at my feet and purred so hard I had to take him in my arms.
I was done and couldn't not adopt him.
He was then 4 months old.
My female black cat Lee Lou who is 11 yo is nice too but she is a princess and are avoiding Adam even is Adam is an affectionate cat.
They are putting joy in my life.
Happy Birthday, Isabella!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Joe your secrets are safe with her.
In all seriousness, pets can be a lifesaver.
Glad you found Isabella.
Yo nunca he considerado a mis "mascotas" como tales, siempre han sido mis hijos o hijas, pero nunca mascotas.
ReplyDeleteMis hijos e hijas han sabido escucharme e incluso aconsejarme en los malos momentos. Una sola caricia de mis hijos ha supuesto mucho mĂĄs que una charla de alguna persona cercana a mi pero sin llegar a ser una gran amistad.
Yo vivo para MarĂa lo mismo que mi MarĂa vive para mi.
Muchos besos para Isabel, reina de Castilla, de Vermont y del corazón de José.
¡¡¡Larga vida para ambos!!!
Ăngel
Le boo-boo kitty :) si doux.
ReplyDelete-Beau Mec
des yeux comme des saphirs de haute qualité ! quelles beautés
ReplyDelete