I am writing to you for the first time without a very important part of my office and my creative experience. My cat had to be put down two weeks ago. My cat Bear, who has been here for every post, every email, every photo shoot that he interrupted, every single moment.
Cats are such a beautifully important and personal part of a writer’s life. I called him my furry paperweight because sometimes he would sit up here right next to my keyboard, knowing and not caring that a desk is not a place for cats. He would lay right at my feet and wait patiently as I typed for hours. He would pass through the room and meow, letting me know he was going to eat now. He lifted me up when I felt frustrated or worthless or scared. My days were never lonely, my apartment was always warm.
As I hugged him for the last time at the emergency vet clinic, I whispered into his ear, “You were never too wild for me Bear.” He was a street cat from Queens and he was tough and frisky and to win his affection wasn’t easy but once you did, he was yours forever.
It feels so empty to have this little being that you shared so much with just be gone. And it makes me think too that as I’m sitting here writing to you, with a broken heart and an empty house, I hope that you aren’t in pain. I hope that your heart isn’t hurting. I hope that you aren’t grieving or crying. But I also hope that when your heart does break, that you’ll be strong enough to get through it. And that you hug your loved ones extra tight tonight.
XO
Liz
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