In Loving Memory

Born free, as free as the wind blows;

as free as the grass grows;

born free, to follow your heart.

Live free, and beauty surrounds you;

the world still astounds you;

each time you look at a star.

Stay free, where no walls divide you.

You're free as a roaring tide,

so there's no need to hide.

Born free, and life is worth living;

but only worth living

'cause you're born free.

From the very first time I laid eyes on him, I knew he was special.  I remember the day when my husband's son-in-law brought him home from the park.  He was about 8 weeks old, and Ken had found him running around on his own.  He chased him for almost two hours before finally catching him.  He was a matted-up, flea-infested mess, but I fell in love with him right then and there.  He lived with the family upstairs, and they took good care of him. They took him to the vet right away, cleaned him up, and did everything they could to provide a good home for him. Sometimes my husband and I would be out in the yard, and we'd look upstairs at the window, and there he'd be, attached to the screen and crying to get out.  By the time he was old enough to be neutered, they had decided it wasn't going to work out for them to keep him any longer, and they had already been putting him out at night.  Then one day they called to let us know they were going to take him to the Humane Society, and we just couldn't let that happen.

We took him to the vet ourselves, and then brought him home to be with us for the remainder of his life.  Critter hadn't been around another cat since she was 3 month's old, and she was not amused. We tried to put Nelson in a cage, until they got used to each other, but after about an hour we had to let him out.  He was going crazy, and we thought he would hurt himself.  I could handle the torn curtains, the broken window blinds, and even the times he pottied on our clothing, depending on which one of us he was mad at.  But I couldn't handle that look in his eyes that told me..."I want to be free!"

He had a good life with us.  As hard as it was, and as much as we worried about him, he lived the only way he knew how; his way.  And we loved him the only way we knew how; unconditionally and on his terms.  We kept him as healthy as we could by getting his yearly vaccinations and regular worming, but he developed FIP quite suddenly.  We took him to the vet on a Friday, and had to take him back by Sunday and leave him.  The vet called on Tuesday to let us know that his kidneys had gone into failure, and his body was shutting down. There was nothing else we could do for him.

I will always cherish the last few moments that I had with Mr. Nelson.  I held him close to my heart and told him how much I loved him, and he responded with his gentle purrs and a soft meow. Then he went on his final journey of freedom.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn's rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there, I did not die.

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