Emeralds From Heaven (standard:non fiction, 867 words)
Author: Lynda Doane	Added: Jun 03 2002	Views/Reads: 3456/1	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A little cat by the name of Tiger entered my quiet life and taught me the meaning of love.

Emeralds from Heaven 

"Mew”...It was such a gentle sound to have awakened me from the deep
sleep I was enjoying. 

I awoke to find a marvelous pair of emerald eyes peering at me through
the window.  “Mew.”  This time I couldn't help but notice that the tiny 
little body connected to those eyes was shivering from the cold.  I 
raised the windowpane, he came in and we two became instant friends. 

The arrival of this little cat added a new dimension to my life as he
soon became my constant companion.  He was a delightful little creature 
that caused me to discover joy, laughter, and how to be silly all over 
again. 

Tiger loved to roam around the grassy knolls and forests that lay behind
our house.  He was young and free, an adventurer as well as a hunter.  
And yet, he never ventured very far from home. 

One night, when he was almost five, I came home to find no Tiger at the
door.  I was frantic!  After several fruitless hours of searching, I 
dragged myself home, hauling my heavy heart behind me.   That night I 
slept alone for the first time in over four years.  How I missed that 
little warm lump of fur.  In the morning, I peeked out the kitchen 
window hoping he had come back.  And there he was!  Just as fresh and 
perky as ever!  I was a little suspicious at the time, but pushed any 
misgivings into the deeper recesses of my mind for perusal at a later 
date.  For the moment nothing was more important than the return of my 
precious emerald-eyed friend.  I reveled in the joy of Tiger's presence 
for another couple months until he disappeared for the second time.   
The uneasy thoughts I had placed aside two months earlier were now 
pressing themselves to the forefront of my consciousness. 

Tiger returned three days later.  When he came home, I saw a reflection
in those eloquent eyes that cut my heart to ribbons.  He wanted me to 
help him resolve something, but he was having a tough time expressing 
himself.  I, on the other hand didn't really want to face the issue.  I 
simply chose to bask in the warm glow of happiness that his 
companionship afforded me. 

As the days passed by, I continued to push aside the worries that kept
nagging at me.  Tiger only stayed a month before leaving once more.  He 
reappeared about a week later.  The beautiful emerald eyes followed me 
around the house as I tried to disregard what I knew was happening.  I 
chose to live in denial as we spent the last days of summer together. 

Two weeks later he was gone.   I knew that he would never return.  For
Tiger had found another home.  Indecision was tearing his little heart 
apart.  He'd been doing his best to explain things to me the only way 
he knew how, but I insisted on ignoring him. 

Once I accepted the fact that my little friend wasn't coming back an
awful loneliness engulfed me.  I missed the laughter.  Oh how he made 
me laugh!  I missed his warm little furry body in my lap.  I missed 
listening to him purr in his sleep, and watching him jump after elusive 
butterflies. 

About a month after he left, I was sitting out on the porch reading.  I
could feel his presence.   I looked up and there he was, softly padding 
toward me.  My heart leapt for joy.  I read in those emerald eyes that 
he felt the same joy.  I didn't get up to meet him.  He didn't rush to 
greet me.  He simply walked at a steady pace, not stopping until he 
reached me and jumped into my lap.  Once there, he purred the rest of 
the evening away. 

He stayed the night, but I didn't delude myself this time.  I knew he
was here to say “good-bye.”  The next morning I gave him kitty 
breakfast just as I had for all the years we'd been together.  And, as 
he finished, he pawed off into the forest to begin another day of tabby 
adventures, just as he had done every day of his nearly five years on 
this earth. 

There was one thing different about this day, however.  Before going
very far, he turned, came back, rubbed his body against my leg and 
looked up at me in supplication.  I bent down and held his little head 
in my hands.  I gave him a good-bye kiss right between his ears and 
told him I knew he was moving on. 

“Be happy, Little Tiger.” I said. 

Showing his appreciation, he gently nudged me before bounding off.    
It was the last time I ever saw my beautiful little green-eyed friend. 

As I reflect on the time we spent together, I marvel at all the things
that Tiger had shown me.   His antics forced me to laugh in a way I had 
never known possible.  He taught me about love and made me see the 
sunshine and grass in a whole new light.  My life was enhanced and I am 
a better person for having known this amazing little cat with the eyes 
of emerald green. 


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