If Cats Disappeared From the World

I realize now that I was wrong about you. You always said the right thing, and you were honest.

“Why not keep it,” you said. “We all die eventually anyway, both humans and cats. Once you understand and accept that, it’s OK.”

What awful creatures we humans are!

I got rid of embarrassing diaries

“Yeah, but just being alive doesn’t mean all that much on its own. How you live is more important.”

I realize that it might seem stupid for me to give up my own life for cats.

You can convince yourself to be happy or unhappy. It just depends on how you choose to see things.

“Thank you, Mother.”

I’d never been able to say that to her. Those simple words. But I really did want to say it. And I finally had.

I opened my eyes, and Cabbage was still there, curled up purring on my lap.

“Thank you, Cabbage.”

There’s a reason that things exist in this world. And there’s no reason good enough for making them disappear.

My mother . . . Did she have any hobbies of her own? Did she have any time to herself? Were there things she wanted to do, hopes and dreams? I wanted to at least thank her, but never found the words. I never even bought her flowers because it seemed cheesy. Why couldn’t I at least have done something small? It was such a simple thing. And when she finally left this world it came as such a shock. I hadn’t ever imagined that she would die.