A CAT REMINDS ME OF THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (A PERSONAL JOURNALING SAMPLE)

A CAT REMINDS ME OF THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (A PERSONAL JOURNALING SAMPLE)

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Written December 21, 2014, Sunday, 1012 a.m.

FIRST DAY OF WINTER

Happy First Day of Winter! 

It's the shortest day of the year, the darkest time of year as far as light, meaning every day from now will have longer daylight hours. (Yay!)

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A CAT REMINDS ME OF THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

B (my husband) and I were woken up when Kara, our deaf cat, howled. She sounded terribly upset and scared. We can't holler out to her, since she won't hear us, so I grabbed my flashlight and searched for her.  She was downstairs by the front door, hollering, thinking we were gone. We were lost/gone in her little cat mind. As she faced the door, and yowled, I walked harder and heavier, knowing she would sense the vibration as I approached, and she turned and saw me and let out a loud, excited MEOW! (Again, she is deaf, so she meows a great deal louder than the average cat.) And she RAN to me, perked up, happy. 

Life was suddenly just fine and as it should be in her world. Of course, in my world, my heart was going a thousand miles per hour as it also broke to hear how petrified and sad she sounded. So, in my world, I was not fine as quickly as she was. Adrenaline shot through me as I tried to take deep breaths and calm myself as I pet the sweet thing.

She never knew what it was like to be loved like this. 

She knew abuse and then the wild.

Kara has had a whole new life since September 21, 2014. She may have breast and lung cancer, but she is in picture perfect health otherwise, and has a much higher quality of a life since she found us. And, she knows it. Thank God she adopted us. Our lives have been forever changed through the thief and stealer of hearts. I am so glad to be able to be a blessing to her, just like she is to us. 

As hard as it was to be woken up that way, how special it is that she knows love to be able to mourn when she thinks we are gone. (Sad, though, but I hope you know what I mean.) She didn't know this type of love until now. 

She may be terminal, but all of us are. And, it is an honor to love on her as much as possible--until we cannot any more.... if you know what I mean... 

Kara is a reminder of something I know well.

Christmas is about unconditional love. 

It has absolutely NOTHING to do with gifts, food, or a clean house for company. It isn't about appearances or being greedy for gifts. 

Christmas is about unconditional love. Nothing more. Nothing less. And, this is everything. 

Jesus Christ was born so He could die--and give us eternal life, forgiveness for our wrongdoing, and show us unconditional love. 

Love without limits or conditions.

Our pets show us how to worship God and how to have unconditional love. 

Christmas is the reminder of what and who really matters. For, it's all about Him and not us at all. 

Thank you, Kara, for the reminder and the exclamation mark on this holiday. 
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
1 Journal your thoughts.
2 When you think of unconditional love, what do you think of?
3 Write about your pets, each of them, and their love for you and your love for them.
4 Journal anything else you desire.

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(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014)