I believe once a disease is terminal and there is no turning back, to let anything I love die a painful death is unconscionable when we have the power to euthanize the pet to go out pain free. Our son visited and patiently wiped the bloody mouth of this cat with mouth cancer. Patiently mixed every type of baby food and cat food to help the cat eat to no avail. Sat with, slept with, petted, and walked with this cat he loved as a child. He stayed the week ad had to get back to his life knowing he would never see his cat alive again. Now our daughter wants to come see the cat and say good bye. A beloved niece came to say goodbye to the cat and we see an animal is really a family member not just a pet.
The eldest son came last weekend thinking like me, we were putting him down and burying him, until Sweetheart objected. This impending death of this cat has brought many unsaid emotions to the surface of our relationships. So I step back as I always do when disagreements get heated. I let things settle, I do not make any moves. I do not want the cat upset either.
I have studied Byron Katie and Eckhart Tolle for a while and I go to the process that is taught to get centered again. There is no peace outside, only inner peace. What is the most loving thing to do for all concerned? So today my peace inside is knowing what my wise daughter told me a week ago, "This is a process and must be allowed to be played out for Dad (Sweetheart) and Baby."
So I rest, saying "Let not mine, but thy will be done." These people I love so much are dealing with this death in their way and I am not the big "I" that knows best. The cat is on meds for pain and comfort antibiotics. As my youngest said before he left, "See, Baby enjoyed another evening on the deck, looking out one more day that he would not have had if we had put him down last week."
True, every moment Baby lives another moment is precious to the humans but is just life as it comes to this Zen creature. One more day...Peace to this house.
No comments:
Post a Comment