November 19, 2007

Smoky's Return

Rate this encounter:[an error occurred while processing this directive] James Marshall, Invermere, British Columbia, Canada, January 1982

On Christmas morning, 1980 a beautiful American shorthair cat scratched on my door. It seems he had been living with a man who had some aggressive dogs. We took "Smoky" in. I contacted his owner and he said it was just fine with him that Smoky had decided to live with us.

Over the next year Smoky became a beloved family member. It turned out that Smoky developed a very serious urinary tract condition. I took Smoky to my friend, the local veterinarian. Three times I observed Smoky being operated upon. Each time the painful condition returned with Smoky constantly crying in pain.

Eventually, I could no longer accept seeing him suffer. I had him "put down" (a euphemism for killed). This happened one year later. On Christmas morning.

A couple of weeks later, Smoky appeared at the foot of my bed. He was surrounded by a sparkling black aura. I awakened my wife so that she could experience this astonishing event. Smoky communicated to me telepathically and he said, "I love you, Jim. Do not cry. I know you killed me out of love. It is okay."

Smoky jumped down from our bed and my wife followed him down the hallway. He disappeared.

Smoky came back. I have had many cats since, and each one was so special. I think it is so. Love has no species bias.