Mocha

One of the hardest things we have to tell our children is about the death of a beloved pet. Zak and Elizabeth went with their Dad for the weekend to share a belated Christmas with him as the children and I spent Christmas with my parents at my brother, Bill's, home. Then Christmas evening we spent with my ex-in-laws at their home since my ex-husband does not visit with them it fell to me to bring the children over for Christmas for their other grandparents. Which I am glad we went to see them as they needed us to visit them, which we need to do more often.

Back to telling our children of something we would rather not have to tell them of. All our cats were here when I returned from Church this morning. We have quite a few cats, all of which we love dearly. They are each so individualistic that it is a joy to be around them. Well Mocha is,or was,my daughter,Elizabeth's,tom cat. He was about 2 years old. A beautiful black camera ham, is what he was. He would talk when you picked him up. He had quite a personality to him, all which I contribute to him as having been half Siamese.

I called my Mom as I do every Sunday after Church and spoke with her for about an hour. Then I prepared all the food for the animals, our cats, dogs and chickens for their feeding time. I went out and fed them and checked the eggs. I realized that I had not seen Mocha when I fed the cats. This is highly unusual for Mocha not to be here. He is a stay at home, front yard tom cat. I placed the empty food containers on the front steps and turned around to go look for Mocha and saw him lying beside the road. He was dead. He had been run over. It had not been too long before I went out to feed them. I knew this from the warmth that was still present within Mocha's crumpled body. His beautiful yellow-green eyes that once glowed with warmth, light and mischievousness would see no more. He would talk no more to us as we petted him or played with him. Our little miniature black panther. I dug him a grave and buried him in our pet cemetery so the children would be able to place flowers on his grave anytime they choose to. I said a prayer over him and asked the Lord to help me break the news gently to the children. The children love their animals as a family member, for they are a part of our family. We love them. They are precious and dear to us. I pray that the Lord will give me the right words to say to help ease the sorrow and grief they will feel from Mocha's death.

As the Bible says there is a season to be born and a season to die. This applies to all living things. We love, we hurt, we lose those we love. It is all a part of the cycle of our lives. Even though this is how it is, to be born and to die, it still hurts when we lose someone or a dear pet that we loved so well. The picture is of Mocha. God bless his little soul which has returned back to the earth.