My Four-legged Savior

My Four-legged Savior by Annette Moody

How could you know how heartbroken I was? How could you know your love would save me? As I mourned the passing of my beloved, my heart shattered, you were just beginning your life. You were in and out of foster homes, in and out of adoptions, passed among people who could not understand your heart. It was as if our crossing paths was preplanned by an invisible energy, me as your forever home, you as my heart savior.

The nice lady on the phone told me you were looking for a safe and forever home, but it had to be the right home, not just a place to sleep and eat, but a place to grow and play and love. A place where you would never again have to worry about your place in the world. A place where you could express yourself without care and share all the love you had to give.

The day we were to meet had arrived and I was so excited to meet you in person. My heart was still tender from my loss, but I was completely aware of the only medicine that would help me heal. And you were the salve that would take me on that healing journey.

Driving nervously across town, I was painfully aware that you might not respond to me. If I was rejected, my heart might shrivel up and never be the same. I pulled into the driveway; my heart was racing. You were inside, I could feel you already. I came through the door and the very serious lady looked me over. Would I be the right person for you? Did I have the look of someone who could care for such a helpless and innocent being?

She led me down a long hallway and opened the door to one of the many rooms and I stepped in anxiously. She nods to the floor, and I carefully sit down so as not to frighten you. The room is full of life and activity, and I mostly go unnoticed. Suddenly, as if guided by fate, there you were. You are in my lap in an instant, looking up at me with the most trusting eyes I had ever seen. Would I be the one, would I be your person?

My heart melts and all the pain of the earlier loss vanishes. You are mine and I am yours. You had been in and out of homes and there was no love for you anywhere, until now. Once again, my heart was full, my heart was healing, I could feel love. I was there to help you heal too. I would give you all the love and security I had to give. You brought joy and love back into my house and I would be forever grateful. Your chirps and meows became my morning coffee talk.

Since that day thirteen years ago, you have been in my lap, your soft fur rubbing against my face, always wanting to be close to me. Spooning with me at night as your powerful purr sends me to dreamland. Waking me in the morning with the tender touch of your furry paw to the tip of my nose.

You brought me presents and always made sure I knew how much you appreciated me by giving me your loving head bump. You protected me from anything and anyone that might invade our home, constantly alert to all the sounds and smells that were foreign to us. You even protected me from outside forces that showed up at the door, growing twice your size to show who was the master of our territory.

You have such a comic streak in you. You always announce yourself in the bathroom with your sweet chirp, “hello, I have arrived.” You play endlessly with a zip tie, your sharp claws tossing it up in the air to the playmate only you can see. Try as I might, I could never quite decipher the meaning of you placing toys in your food or my shoes. Your secret code remains elusive to me still, but everyone needs their secrets.

It brings me such joy to watch you ease into the windowsill allowing the sun to bring warmth and relaxation to your body and spirit, the sun amplifying your shiny fur coat. It is as if watching you somehow brings warmth and relaxation to me at the same time.

You never complained, even when we moved, and moved, and moved. You always knew me better than I knew myself, bringing me comfort during times of struggle or sometimes illness. There was rarely anything or anyone that brought me more relief and comfort than being close to you. I always did my best to bring you comfort as you began to have little aches and pains, sometimes your small body not working as well as it once did. Time passing does not discriminate.

Your white and gray majesty still exudes beauty and grace even though you may have lost a step, and your balance does not like to cooperate as it once did. I would venture to say you still see the lion staring back from the mirror, he has always been there, even when you were not feeling like the big cat. Even lions need help sometimes.

We grew older together, you and your trusting eyes, and me with my healing heart. Now, as your years become many, and the rainbow bridge begins to come into sight, I am so incredibly grateful that you chose me as your human. You have been a mighty protector and a tender friend. As I gaze into your still kitten-like face, I can see the trust you had during our first encounter that day so many years ago. If there is a human alive who does not understand the unconditional love and connection between a human and an animal, they surely never had you in their lap.