Responsibility Comes in All Ages

Yesterday, my beloved eldest cat, Sadie, died.  I found her near my porch, her back legs paralyzed and a deformity to her hip.  It was apparent she had been hit by a car.  She was in pain and there was nothing I could do to help her.  I had no way to take her to the vet, much less the money, to have her mercifully put to sleep.  She lived another hour and a half before finally succumbing to her injuries.

What was also apparent was that somebody had to have moved her closer to my porch, but didn’t bother to knock and say “I hit your cat – I’m sorry.”  I never heard her cry out because she couldn’t take a deep breath (broken ribs, possible collapsed lung), she had a soft meow to begin with, and my hearing’s not what it used to be.  She could have been there only a few minutes or she could have been there a few hours before I found her. 

I’m pretty sure I know who hit her, but I doubt he’ll ever come forward and admit it.  In some respects, this person is like the grade school kids who, for the first time, invaded my yard and started whacking at plants with sticks yesterday.  They ran away when noticed to avoid being caught, to avoid being discovered instead of owning up to the damage and apologizing.  I don’t know if the story about George Washington cutting down the cherry tree and then confessing to it is true or not, but I would take such an honest person as my neighbor or neighbor kid anytime.

My loving responsibility to Sadie was to be with her as she passed and I was.  She had me beside her, with comforting words and scritches all the while as she died.  My final loving and responsible act was to bury her and say goodbye.  My final act with regard to Sadie’s death will be to forgive the person who hit her.  That will happen, just not right away.  Guess I’m a bit flawed, too.

It is in our actions of honesty, responsibility, compassion, forgiveness and positive action that our true nature as a human being comes through.  I don’t expect my weed-whackers of yesterday to understand that yet, for they are still in the process of learning such lessons.  But, I kind of expect adults to at least try to get it right, setting an example for the next generation.