austerity101

My friend loved the this original photo and had it up in her room right till the end.

Yesterday my friend passed quietly away – her fragile strength overwhelmed by cancer.  I took Gentielle the ginger cat to see her  shortly before she passed- My friend knew we were there but was not able to pull herself in to conciseness.  It was hard for Gentielle to be apart from her master. I felt the few pounds of cat would be too disruptive and a sharp claw too hurtful, that was my decision not Gentielle.  Gentielle then let me hold her for the first time since I have known her.  I stood with her for 20 minuets or more in my arm at our friends bedside.  Gentielle watched the face of my friend these many minuets as the fragile strength of breaths struggled to let go. I like to think it was that she was looking for recognition of her friend and caregiver of many years who the same…