Furry Fighter Friday

Today, our precious friend Stormie the Furry Fighter is being helped to the Rainbow Bridge. Here she is, with her loving brother Castle.



We Ballicai are sad because we will miss Stormie terribly, but though we are sad, we rejoice, too, that she has enjoyed a life of love. And a life of love -- loving and being loved -- is something to celebrate. Stormie will forever be an inspiration to all of us in her kindness, her courage, her devotion to her loved ones. And we will always love her.

When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps his purse shut;
when death comes
like the measle pox;

when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering;
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth
tending as all music does, toward silence,

and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.

When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was a bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

~Mary Oliver

Our hearts and our love go out to you, Stormie, and to Castle and to your loving Meowmies. Here we are, with you in spirit, with you in love. You will always be a true champion.




(Our sister Marilyn is honoring Stormie on her bloggie, too.)