Valuable quotes

"No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow." ~~



"The minute you start talking about what you're going to do if you lose, you've already lost." ~~



Cree Prophecy - "When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money." ~~


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

A Tribute to Bailey, Jake and Dalton...and other hits to the heart...

It's amazing how quickly things can change in your life. Not just on a human level, but with a juggling of homes and events, we are never allowed to enjoy stability for very long. Or at least in my life it's been the case. These last thirteen months have been a blur of doctors and tests and worries and determination. The last equal parts bravado and fire.

It began last October when after years of me pestering my husband Greg to make an appointment and have a complete workup done, he did just that. Had he waited even six months longer I don't think I could even pretend optimist, but at the moment, due to him going when he did, I can enjoy real optimism. Though he was diagnosed with cancer, he has had surgery and gone through radiation treatments and things appear to be okay. Finishing up with radiation last week, we have been told not to worry...I like those words when coming from a doctor.

But that blow last October was just the beginning of a series of things to try and bring us down. On February 12th of this year we lost my little soul mate Jake. I knew that one day I'd have to face this, but still, when the day arrives, it's as heart wrenching as it can be. Jakey...my sweet, forever at my side baby was gone.
Then in June we lost Bailey...another one I wasn't at all prepared for because he was as healthy as could be - physically. But no one knew that his mind would forsake him. 

That was followed by Greg's mother. 
When people ask me why we're filling all our time going to concerts these last months, that is why. Music is a healer. For me, music heals almost everything. If it's not me creating it for myself, it's being able to watch and listen as someone else does it. But wait...it doesn't end there. After the loses we thought a new kitten might help ease some of the grief. An animal advocate friend of mine was fostering a kitten who'd lost it's mother when he was a day old. She was fostering him and bottle feeding him so we decided to take him into our home. Our beautiful bright Dalton lifted our spirits and our lives began to come together once more. Badly bruised and I little more jaded than before, but on the mend. 
Then, at the tender age of six months, Dalton was diagnosed with Lymphoma, and in the blink of an eye, he too was gone.



And so that brings me to my crude little movie I made in memory of Jake, Bailey and Dalton. I have never done anything like this before and I don't pretend to think it's good. I could have used better photos, or more of them, but it was done in just one hour, when I was feeling particularly vulnerable. 
But I needed to do it. I also had the song that I'd done from some months before. A nameless little piece I just hung on to. When I decided to do the video for my babies, I thought long and hard about what song to use. This one seemed the right thing, even if it wasn't professional or outstanding. I couldn't use a sad or morosely slow number because these boys were a joy. They played hard and were happy and active. Why would I attribute a sad song to their lives?


So now, we carry on. Two more little beings have entered our lives, a brother and sister - two of four little kittens abandoned at a day old. They are Murray and Dharma and as time passes, they are becoming more and more a part of our lives. We can only hope they are healthy, we think they are. They certainly have more energy than any ten kittens I've lived with before. 



I will add more as the months/years go by, but for now, we are peaceful once again.


5 comments:

Ted K. Hechtman said...

Animals. I don't think there have been many times in my life when I was without a dog or a cat. Cats entered my life at 26 and never left. There is one I think of often. Raised him from a fetus. He was a part of me and I will always miss him. Now we have two, Tess and Toulouse (Dudu). Dudu is wonderful and talkative and never seems to repeat himself. He is currently trying t make friends with a new dog we have acquired who is tiny. I believe he is a MinPin. I enjoyed the video Ginger.

da tabbies o trout towne said...

meowloz ta R pawsum awesum pals we iz glad we final lee finded ewe !!! all bee everee thing in de state oh punks a tawnee phil !!! pece out N rock on, long live trout N we R hopin ewe kittehs be enjoyin sum !!

da tabbies o trout towne said...

meowloz ta all R awesum pawsum pals in de grate state oh punks a tawnee phil !!! we iz glad we final lee finded ewe !!!

Ginger said...

Ted!!! My apologies for not responding sooner! I'm not looking after this place as much as I should & with the newer format they're putting me thru' my paces now, figuring it all out.
Yes, we had all shapes & sizes of critters while I was growing up too. My grandfather, the original animal advocate in our home dragged home anything hungry, hurt or in need of a home much to my grandmother's chagrin. Squirrels, skunks, dogs, cats & rabbits all found a home with us. Today I have five...Darius, Trey, Milo, Murray & his sister the only girl & diva on the place, Dharma. You can only imagine how spoiled she is!

Ginger said...

@Tabbies!!!! Oh boyz! I'm so glad I checked here this morning! These comments were here & I didn't even know. I definitely got to look after this place better...look after my friends better too!

We sure all miss your eminent presence over at Catster...the place just isn't the same without you all there...
ps. Dharma had egg & trout for breakfast every morning now...brat!