Goodbye, My Beautiful Blueberry Bear

In October of 1996, I was volunteering at our local OSPCA as a member of the board of directors.  I couldn't work in the shelter because my heart couldn't take the sadness of the animals and I knew I'd want to take them all home with me.  J. and I were just married a few months at the time and something was missing in our lives.  I had always grown up with pets and knew we needed a little kitty to make our family complete.  Off to the shelter I went, one day, and happened upon two little tabbies huddled side by side in their litter box.  Brother and sister - cats B and C of a litter of three found on the side of a highway.  "A" had already been adopted leaving "B" and "C" left.  When I opened their cage, one immediately scampered under the shelving units and hid, while the other was happy to be picked up and cuddled.  The one who hid was Cheetah and the one who wanted cuddles was Bear.  We adopted them both.  Bear was so sick with a respiratory illness that the staff said we could come and get a new cat if he died. He showed them! He lived for over 15 years.  Cheetah passed away in February of 2007 and Bear passed away this afternoon.  I kissed and cuddled him as he exited this world in the same way I kissed and cuddled him that day in the shelter.  He was always as cuddly.  I loved that little sweetheart and will miss him greatly. He was my first baby and filled my life with joy through many, many difficult years of infertility.  His unconditional love was something I'll never experience again and I'll be forever grateful that I was the lucky recipient of all those years of love and cuddles.

Goodbye, old friend.