I saw this photo a few months ago. It's been on my desk ever since the Christmas season, and I've been meaning to write with it in mind. But alas, the busyness of these weeks, teacher life and daily routines have made my desk more cluttered, messy and harder to recognize. It's already halfway through Lent, and yet, I'm writing about a picture from the Christmas season.
Something a bit deeper though than only Christmas is in this picture, which is my love for cats! That was our cat, Pretzel, whom we found stray at our parish church once upon time in December. We hid him and made him come home with us in our big, white van so our dad had to say yes to keeping this precious little kitten.
He grew up, and a few years later he wasn't so much like a kitten, but a small cat who got all of our attention and love. (Well, at least mine and some of my sisters) And would often be getting into trouble or climbing our screen window for attention or like the one time putting his paw into our cake for girl's club. Of course, our female house cat, who acted like she owned our house and family didn't get along with silly and whimsical Pretzel. She was too prim and proper for outlandish behavior, and she had manners.
I loved playing with Pretzel though. My sister named him after a little stuffed animal cat I had (who was also grey and long haired that I named Pretzel.) This picture of me holding and fooling around with Pretzel when I was in the 4th grade, in some ways doesn't look too different now, with me holding, teasing and playing with our now cat, Navidad. (And who unfortunately, doesn't like to be held for more than a few seconds.)
My favorite animal had always been a cat (when I was a child, I said it was a tiger), but they're still part of the cat family. One of my students yesterday asked what's my favorite animal, and I immediately said a cat.
There is nothing like a kitty who is sleeping on your bed, your lap, or simply purring because you're petting it, and also running around like a dog and all hyper, but until, just then, when they find a cozy corner and get comfortable and are sleeping softly. The house becomes a home, and all is peaceful and homey.
I had a few silly names for our beloved Pretzel. But nothing beats all the names I have for our dear Navidad. Some are even in a different language. Funny, interesting, odd and endearing names all describing my love for a cat that always seemed out of the question and would never be a reality again (but God made a way, even when I forgot about having a cat.)
Pretzel died when I was in the 6th grade, during our summer girl's camp. I was so sad and cried about it after my parents told me and picked up my sisters and me. Some thought I was crying because the girls camp had ended (that can be hard too) but coming home and having that silly and rambunctious kitty gone was hard.
My little girl heart missed him and could only slightly smile when I heard he died while trying to catch a bird and perhaps trying to eat this said bird that may have been poisonous.
I think he died how he lived.
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