From Scotty Martin, Tiger Cat, age 4
For Sophie Walking Drum, Tortoise Shell Cat, who passed at age 18.

She Let Me
She was young and unmarred, at least to me.  She had the gravity of the Earth, and stars orbited around her head, which seemed to fill the whole sky.
She let me, let me be near her, and give her the comfort of one who has also lived not knowing if there would ever be an end to Hard.
She smiled at me, her golden, fang-y smile, and that light played upon my ears and brow relieving my leaning hard into life.
My body felt an inner softness, at last, and peace came into my heart.

Others wondered how I was allowed near, near the lightning paws.
We knew about living hard times. She said I had courage, and that made her near to me.
She sobbed at one time, about her kittens born years ago, and asked forgiveness for not asking my own particular hurts. Though loved for many years that thorn, she cried, still stuck.
I promised to love her family always—I am the youngest boy, now! She said they’d need another such stalwart heart when hers stopped.
I asked her to stay till all of us were set strong enough in Light and more assured, and she did.
She did not like to show us her final hardships, but she at last let go her face of Dignity and Strength to Receive. My Cat friends and I made a Soul-Circle round her, letting all that hurt her fall into the swirling, weaving energy-basket of our care. She shed into it glorious fur, green leaves of pain, glances of appreciation and handed back to us the hive of her Wholeness.
Her spirit left, unscathed, as we marveled, convinced.
She let me near. Let me see,
She let me Be Me, once again, and I love her.
Sacred is the time when Loves meet and Life entwines … One’s Soul then Grows.
With a grateful, stalwart heart,

Scotty

Scotty Martin & Brother Avery guardians of Sophie