PO-EMotion: Acceptance

Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" 

to the Tuesday Slice of Life (SOL) community.

Thanks to Stacey, Tara, Betsy, Dana, Beth, and Anna

for hosting this meeting place each Tuesday 

and nurturing our writing lives.   

I meandered the poetry slices this morning until I saw Mary Lee's word for today, acceptance, 
and then I was compelled to write about our cat, Hadley.  

So surprised when Sara picked you, an older cat,

instead of one of the lively kittens at the rescue shelter.
You came to Evergreen Lane seventeen years ago,
no longer an orphan, but a cat with an address,
and quickly became Sara's cat.

AT MEOW (Mercer Eastside Orphans and Waifs)
you were such a docile cat, they let you roam free.
But when you went back for nail trims,
you turned into a hissy cat, perhaps afraid of being returned.

From the moment we walked out of MEOW
and carried you home, you captured our hearts.

Sara loves to tell how Dad had cat hair on his shirt
when she returned from an evening with a friend
the first night you came to live with us.
You charmed even him, our lone holdout.

You surprised us with your willingness to cuddle,
but that disappeared as you became settled
in your new home, replaced by
aloof Hadley who might deign to grace your lap.

So many fun memories -
The clattering spoon as you explored the leftover chili,
Your guard cat persona whenever a dog was on the premises,
Our frantic family persona when you managed a quick escape,
The wild Hadley who took on Blake and his teasing,
The musical cat who explored the inside of the piano,
Your thundering paws as you galloped from one end of the house to the other
in hot pursuit of something that had moved out of your range of vision.

You were always Sara's cat until she went away to college.
Gradually you moved into my lap since it was the only welcoming one.
You kept us company as we transitioned to empty nesters,
and when business took Lance to Houston, you kept me company.

This spring you joined me most days for writing time in March,
our old cat, who rarely thundered through the house anymore.
Sometimes you were already on the bed, waiting for me to join you.
I'd scoot you over, laptop in hand, you beside me, gently snoring.
It never took long until you squeezed the laptop out,
and reclaimed your prime real estate, my lap.
You were even cover cat in Bonnie's writing places video!

Yesterday was a slow day, not much accomplished
except lots of time with you.
Nap time together,
PBS time together watching the Ken Burns Cancer series,
Bedtime together (for just the 4th time in your life),
And writing time together this morning.
Not sure that I'll be writing on the bed for awhile,
it just won't feel right without you by my side.

But it does feel right to say
goodbye, my love, goodbye.
Pleasant journey until we meet again.