Mr. Pickles, the cat
I am sure having Mr. Pickles, my cat, greatly helped my sanity.
He made my apartment a home. I was able to come back to a living creature who actually was excited to see me.
Unlike the bad reputation often given to cats, this cat actually waited for me at my door on a regular basis. He even would roll over for me to rub his belly (then pounce on my leg with his front claws playfully, of course).
I am sooo thankful that I had a cat during the breakup of my first marriage!
One of the greatest losses for me during my first marriage’s ending was the loss of physical touch. Touch is what conveys love to me. So, the actual physical separation part was downright painful for me, because it meant deprivation of that touch–ergo, deprivation of what communicated love to me.
Having a pet helped me cope with this new reality.
While Mr. Pickles was probably just going for some warmth, I really appreciated the time my cat would snuggle and purr with me. It conveyed love–however imperfectly–to me. I was grateful that when I went to bed a small, warm body was there snuggling at my feet each night.
It helped me feel less alone.
And his purring presence reminded me that I was not unlovable.
Mr. Pickles is now living large on a farm somewhere as Mrs. DM is allergic, and he is not good around little kids. That said, I will forever be grateful for the role he played in my life helping me through some of the darkest chapters in my life’s history. I thank God for him.
And I recommend having a pet if you find yourself alone walking this journey. Dogs make excellent companions, too.
*A version of this post ran previously.
