October 2, 2011

• UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: MANDY

  My mother, Sadie, loved dogs, especially small ones, and didn’t trust cats.

  As a widow, living alone in a small apartment, she would nonetheless sometimes feed homeless felines who, looking for food and shelter, would find their way into the corridors of her building.

  One such creature, an orange tabby, knowing a good thing when she saw one, turned up regularly in the hall at Mom’s door for nourishment and indoor heating.

  Mom’s landlord eventually got wind of this arrangement and insisted that that all strays be adopted and taken into apartments or turned out into the elements.

  SO THAT’S HOW MANDY ARRIVED AND TURNED DISTRUST INTO ADORATION.

  I NEVER ACTUALLY SAW MANDY AND DIDN’T KNOW HER AGE OR WHO NAMED HER.

   IN THE PRESENCE OF ANYONE EXCEPT HER BELOVED NEW MOMMY, SHE WOULD SCAMPER INTO A CLOSET UNTIL THE COAST WAS CLEAR.

  EVENTUALLY, MANDY’S  FEAR OF ABUSE AND ABANDONMENT SUBSIDED IN DEVOTION AND APPRECIATION  FOR A LONELY WOMAN’S LOVING CARE.

  TO SAY THAT MOM WAS HARD TO PLEASE WOULD BE A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT.

  THE ONLY GIFTS SHE NEITHER REJECTED NOR RETURNED WERE GREETING CARDS, THE MUSHIER THE BETTER. PERHAPS THEY EXPRESSED HER UNACKNOWLEDGED FEELINGS.

  EVENTUALLY MANDY PASSED INTO HEARTBROKEN MEMORY –THAT’S THE UNAVOIDABLE DOWNSIDE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

  One day I walked into a gift shop and there was Mandy, in a cloth version of an orange tabby, heavy as lead, intended as a doorstop. Whatever.

  I lugged it home and on the last Mother’s Day I spent with Mom, I gave it to her.

  EUREKA!!! SHE LOVED IT!!!

  SHE SWORE ITS’ BIG GREEN EYES WERE SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO HER!!!

  Mandy now sits on a high shelf in my den, looking directly into my eyes, guarding and protecting Muffie and me.

  GOD HAS ALL KINDS OF RESOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO HEALING RELATIONSHIPS.

  I BELIEVE THAT THE ELEMENT OF GRATITUDE, WHICH IS OMNIPRESENT IN TOTALLY RECIPROCAL LOVE, IS A KEY CONDITION.

  AND FORGIVENESS WORKS MIRACLES.

  YINNIE, MUFFIE AND MANDY WOULD NEVER BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS AND FONDLES THEM.
  

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  • 12:17 am
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