Cathy's Birdbrain, picture above, passed away last night. Please pray also for Groucho, her mate, pictured behind Birdbrain, who is missing her very much. Cathy said:
I loved her dearly and she was a clever birdie, inquisitive and sweet, and had all sorts of little quirks and used to talk to me in all sorts of ways that no other bird has done or will do. The boy bird, Groucho, is still pretty quiet and refuses to eat or drink.Birdbrain looks such a sweet birdie, with her blushing feathers on her cheek. I know how Cathy loved her birdies. In all our rush of activities in London and with Cathy working, I never got to see Birdbrain and Groucho, but I wish I had.
....
I will keep her here for a couple of days and then get her cremated - I want to keep her ashes. I don't want to bury her because I may not stay in this flat and I want her close by me, not in some pet graveyard. At the moment I can't even think straight, or stop crying.
O Lord our God, we come before You this day in sadness. Birdbrain, who brought Cathy so much joy in life, has now died. Her happy times with Cathy and Groucho have come to an end. They miss Birdbrain already.Prayer (with editing) by Rabbi Barry H. Block.
Help Cathy, O God, to remember the good times with Birdbrain. Remind her to rejoice in the happy times she brought to her home. Let her be thankful for the good life she was blessed to give to her.
We are grateful to You, God, for creating Birdbrain, for entrusting her to Cathy's care, and for sustaining her in her love for a measure of time. We understand that all that lives must die. We knew that this day would come. And yet, O God, she would have wanted one more day of play, one more evening of love with Birdbrain.
O God, as Cathy has taken care of Birdbrain in life, we ask that You watch over her in death. You entrusted Birdbrain to Cathy's care; now, she gives her back to You. May she find a happy new home in Your loving embrace.
As we remember Birdbrain, may we love each other more dearly. May we care for all Your creatures, for every living thing, as Cathy protected the blessed life of Birdbrain. May her memory bless our lives with love and caring forever. Amen.
Thanks, Mimi. I love your prayer. You've made me cry all the more but in a good way. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAll prayers for me and Groucho gratefully received.
Cathy, I love the prayer. I've adapted it before for the death of other beloved creatures of God.
ReplyDeletePoor Cathy!
ReplyDelete"Sir", all sympathy right now gratefully received, with thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh, Cathy, I am so very sorry for your loss of Birdbrain. There is nothing to compare with having been acknowledged by a four legged or a winged creature. The bond between them and us is so very precious. They are such special gifts from God.
ReplyDeleteMay God fill you with peace at this time of great grief. And Groucho also. My prayers and caring are with you.
Oh this is so sad, Cathy. And to think that you still took the trouble to text me earlier! I wish I'd known then, I could have sent you a hug via the phone. Big virtual hug now and prayers for you and Groucho. And lots of love.
ReplyDeleteMy eyes are filled with tears as well. Our furry and feathered companions so love us unconditionally, and are more sentient and perceptive that we think. Going through the worry with Bruno this week makes me feel your grief even more, Cathy. Hugs to you.
ReplyDeleteCathy --I am so sorry for your loss --and poor Groucho. You will continue in my prayers, and may that peace which passes all understanding abide with you now and in the days to come.
ReplyDeleteOh Cathy, I feel sad...we too keep lovely birdies (the same kind too) and I find them so friendly and loving and our little families keep reproducing (we swap some out from time to time with the pet store in the Antigua market to keep the fresh blood mixing/flowing)...please come to Guatemala and we will find a new ¨mate¨ to introduce to your beloved Groucho (after a respectful and healing period of mourning of course)...prayers for Birdbrain the Good, may Birdbrain fly with the wind forever, and ever, Amen
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo fuerte,
Leonardo/Len
All the lovely responses here bring tears to my eyes.
ReplyDeleteAw, Birdbrain gets a *feathered* Golden Tail. :-(
ReplyDelete{{{Cathy}}}
{Hug-equivalent for Groucho}
In the Rainbow Lands, dogs, kittehs and birdies all (peacefully) play together...
Thank you whiteycat, Erika, Janis, Margaret, Leonardo and JCF, and especially Mimi once more, for all your kindness. My eyes are filled with tears as well. My Birdiebrain does get a feathered golden tail, and yet I wish so much she was still here.
ReplyDeleteI posted a comment earlier (or thought I did) saying thanks also to Whiteycat, Erika, Janis, Margaret, Leonardo and JCF - and to Mimi once again - my eyes are still filled with tears too.
ReplyDeleteMy Birdiebrain does indeed have her feathered golden tail, and yet I would give anything to have her still be here with me.
Cathy, for some strange reason, your comments went into my spam folder. I don't know why. Usually, when I check 'not spam' the comments will be properly posted from now on, but I will check the spam folder from time to time to make sure. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteI could swear I posted earlier on this thread. Cathy, my sympathy at your loss. Your friend will fly across the rainbow bridge and wait for you Grocho.
ReplyDeleteI do not say do not cry, for not all tears are evil.
FWIW
jimB
Losing a pet friend is terribly hard! They really are part of who many of us are. (I know I have two dogs that are my furry kids and my little girl is 12 and starting to deal with the difficulties of age.)
ReplyDeleteCathy my prayer echos Mimi's. And my heart is with you through your healing from the loss of your friend.
Thanks, Jim B & Ciss B.
ReplyDeleteI miss my little birdie.
Cathy, I hope you're feeling a bit better today.
ReplyDeleteCathy, I can currently relate, at least a little.
ReplyDeleteIn the early part of the summer, a long-haired gray kitty starting visiting my dad and me. Initially, I thought she was just passing through...
...but she got friendlier and friendlier, staying longer and longer. I began to wonder if she really DID have a home, or was just existing (seemingly quite well: not at all skinny) on "left out food" (we have a booming population of feral cats in the neighborhood).
I called my gray kitty "Schmutzy" for the (Yiddish) "schmutz" that collected in that long fur (esp her tail).
As friendly cats do, she began to work her way more and more into my life (and house---though my dad had long said "No Pets"). He was succumbing to her charms too...
...and then, after spending most of the day w/ us last Monday (per usual), she didn't come back on Tuesday (which was exceptionally windy). Or the next day. Or the next.
So it's been almost a week since I last saw my Schmutzy. I JUST WISH I KNEW how she was---if she's warm & dry & safe & fed & loved w/ someone else, that's fine.
But I miss her.
My Schmutzy
Maybe I should have been specific: can I have some prayers that Schmutzy is 1) OK and 2) especially if she's not OK, I see her again? [I think my dad might be ready to take her in, if she comes back]
ReplyDeleteJCF, of course I'll pray for Schmutzy that she returns or that you find out she's all right. Forgive me for not responding earlier. I was sort of leaving the responses to Cathy, and I missed your plea. Schmutzy's a beauty!
ReplyDeleteI will pray for Schmutzy too. She is very beautiful, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI have my Birdiebrain with me here still. I have to think about where to get her cremated. I have two days off starting tomorrow. Most of the pet crematoriums seem to be some distance out of London. I'll sort it out tomorrow, and farewell her at the crematorium, if all goes to plan, on Wednesday.
Oh, my dear Cathy!
ReplyDeleteI know. I know.
((((Cathy))))
Cathy, you remain in my prayers (didn't mean to hijack your Birdiebrain's thread---yet here I go again. Forgive me.)
ReplyDeleteI got a call back from the apartment manager next door (I'd checked there last week, to see if she knew if the "friendly long-haired gray cat" lived there). She said she would check around.
Her message said "No, she doesn't live here. Someone cut a collar off of her, thinking it was too tight" [I'd put that collar on her, trying to indicate she wasn't feral, in case someone removed the feral cats. I didn't think it was too tight, but I saw it was gone the last few days I saw her, and didn't get her another collar in that time] "You keep her." [Not realizing I don't have her]
So I still don't know where Schmutzy is, and it looks more likely that she didn't have a home.
I'm still more sad. That sweet kitteh (purr-machine lap-cat) had taken over my life & heart the past 4-5 months more than I'd even realized.
I keep looking out the sliding-glass door, at all hours. No Schmutzy. :-(
Thank you all, for your prayers.
JCF, I'm still praying and hoping about Schmutzy.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mark Brunson (very belatedly - don't know how I missed your comment - I thought people had stopped commenting). I'm grateful for your kind thoughts.
ReplyDelete