Dec 10- Scars

Scars:  They leave marks, and sometimes you can only take what you can carry.  What will you, by choice or by chance, carry into 2013?

This is a tough one.  There are things I want to talk about and yet, I don't. I was sitting down to write this and looking at my cat, and then thought- by far the most scars I'll be carrying over are scars from him. 

Then I went to look up the definition of scar for some deep thoughts inspiration and one of the first pages is the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society- clearly my topic has been choosen. 

Not all scars have to originate in something bad. While the scars I'll carry from the bites and scratches of the young master hurt when I got them they will only remind me of love. 

I resisted getting a cat for a long time. I wasn't ready after my last one died and then I was too broke to really be able to properly care for one. I turned down two cats, one a stray near my old place and one from a shelter. While there to help a friend pick out a cat one of their "troubled" cats took a liking to me. She was lovely and I felt awful having to leave her because her chance of getting picked was slim. But I knew, at that time it just wasn't right for me and I wanted to be able to afford the good life for any pet of mine. 

Once the HB and I moved in together, it seemed like it was a good time to start building the family. In fact we picked up Monts late in 2011, so this is our first full year with him at the helm. 

I can't express how happy having a pet makes me. Those moments when he curls up into my arms for a cuddle, how he knows if I'm unhappy or upset and comes to make sure I'm ok. When he reaches out one paw to touch me while he sleeps. 

And then there are the moments of frustration- when he launches himself at my face, tipping over the Xmas tree, the annoying habit of pushing things off the bedside table. 

Having a cat again has changed me, and changed my lifestyle. We can't just go away for a long period of time without warning or preparations. And being away is hard. Nothing like sitting on your honeymoon and looking at your spouse and saying "I miss the cat". Fortunately he said it first! 

The saying "don't bite the hand that feeds you" pretty much doesn't exist in cat world. I think it might even be a requirement. But as I sit here and look at those scars, and look at this little fur ball that fills my heart and my life with so much joy I know these scars are proudly carried into the new year.