Willingness

The more I pay attention to my own willingness the more I notice situations change in a way I would not have predicted or guessed they might. For example, yesterday. I had offered to go with my friend to put DC to sleep. None of us would want to do that--including me--but I decided it was something I was willing to do, and wanted to do-- for her. A little before noon, my friend called saying her son was on his way in from College Station to say goodbye to the cat and to go with her to the vet. WOW! What a loving gesture for both the cat and for his mom, despite the fact she had told him I was on board so she wouldn't have to do this alone. He could have said "OK...punt" but he didn't, and as a result, I got my afternoon back, and they got lots more. They got a bonding and grief experience few get to experience with their adult kids. My friend said they sobbed like two girls, and since neither of them got to tell her husband goodbye before he killed himself, I knew this was not all about the cat, and something they needed to do together, privately.

When I emailed her later to see how she was, she said it was probably the best experience of her life and that though her son said it was the hardest thing he'd ever done, neither of them will ever forget being there together. The bond of love just got deeper, bigger, stronger, impenetrable. And what a self esteem builder for a young son who followed his gut. Wow. All of that as a gift from a family cat. Who saw that coming??