A Christmas Card for Katie

Gloria, a much loved Adssi client with a knack for creative writing, has her stories published in her retirement village’s newsletter. “A Christmas Card for Katie” was published last year.

Please enjoy.

A Christmas Card for Katie

Those of you who have recently passed by Villa 35, may have noticed a fluffy, white, old cat, viewing her new world with interest. She and I moved together into our lovely new home early September, naming it, as I have my previous homes, “Rainbow’s End”. She, because of my age, is the last of all the rescue pets taken to my home over many years, as adults, and seen through “till death us do part”, holding each to help them in old age to cross “Rainbow Bridge”, if natural end of life did not happen.

Seventy years ago, at age 10, I was the victim of a then horrendous epidemic – polio. Isolation from friends and playmates had to be total for a long time. My mum, a trained nursing sister, who had incredible capabilities and empathy with people as well as animals, on my leaving hospital, created in our home and garden a collection of pets in need. Therefore, with periods of intense pain and very limited mobility, I had wonderful creatures around me. They lovingly provided me with playmates, caring and unconditional love. Our mum, and dad too, taught me and my sister that each pet is a commitment of caring for its life.

As I grew older, this affinity with the healing power of animals stayed with me, and as well as being a wife and mother of two children with responsibilities of my teaching profession, it has developed, manifesting in years of voluntary animal rescue and care (including wildlife), opposition to animal cruelty, supporting in any way I could, the little ones who cannot speak for themselves. This has been a lifelong “payback” for the lessons they taught me as healers and teachers when I was a little girl, so long ago.

One evening, in November 2010, I entered the sitting room to walk across to the bedroom, only glancing at the T.V. news, but not conscious of the item except that there were lovely cats and kittens playing happily, “begging” for adoption and needing a “forever” home. I phoned the RSPCA to enquire about a cat that had caught my eye. I was told it was a cat with health problems and trauma, was not meant to be in photo range, and would be unable to be considered for adoption. The energy connection I felt continued, so the next day I phoned and was told the same, BUT… even though the outcome should have been euthanasia, as she came in on the day of Kate Middleton’s engagement (now Princess Kate) “this little one needs a palace” (by one of the vets), so she was given a chance. They named her Katie.

November passed, and she was still surviving somehow, though, still with no prospects for adoption. Come December, I sent her a little red Christmas card with a cat on the front, addressing it to Katie, urging her to keep trying to be well enough for a forever home. One of the vet nurses tied it to her cage and told me when I phoned that one of them read it to her every day. Christmas week I phoned again to check; however, still the same outcome, but they would keep trying with her, and for me to call back 2nd January on their return from the Christmas closure.

Every day since that bundle on the T.V. screen had come into my vision, I had sent her lovely, gentle energies from my mind to her little mind as I have been in the habit of doing for animals since that little girl with polio. I phoned as soon as the RSPCA opened on 2nd January 2011 to be told: “The Vet examined her, and can’t believe her improvement over the Christmas break. If you still want to adopt her, she can go today.”

All I could think of was to get to the RSPCA as soon as possible and, although I was quite ill, recovering from a nasty bout of pneumonia, on a “stinking” hot day, off I went somehow, driving alone there, and then with a weak little bundle, returning home to Berkeley Vale. All I could do was walk from the car to the bedroom, open the lid of Katie’s travelling cage beside my bed, exhausted by the extreme effort I had made, defying the poor condition of my health I immediately fell into a deep sleep for several hours.

When I awoke, my discovery was amazing. Lying on the bed, stretched out beside me, pressed in full length against me, was that little white “bundle”, who has not left me since – a truly bonded twosome. It took a long time, devoted caring, understanding and love for her to be relieved of her former traumas and become a relaxed “princess in her palace”. She has seen me through some deep sadnesses, dissolved away my tears, and given me her total unconditional love.

Now, as two “old girls”, years after my Christmas card for Katie, we look forward to yet another Christmas together in retirement, happy and contented at Adelene.

What more could I want at Christmas!

 

Written by Gloria, a much-loved Adssi client.

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