Persimmon: Be Thankful and Pass It On

It has been months since we have seen Persimmon, the stray cat who has been visiting us for years. I found this picture of him on my phone, and it gave me pause for thought. I wonder where he is, how he’s doing, is he still well? It made me think about all the people who move in and out of our lives. They enter and make a great impression in our world. They help us expand our lives and our soul. 

There are those that make a positive impression just by being themselves. They teach us perspective and life lessons that we had not been able to learn before. They encourage us, guide us, and call us to become a better version of ourselves. They create an environment that allows us to grow beyond what they or even we could have imagined. Their kindess and friendship make an imprint on our lives that can never be forgotten. 

There are those who come into our lives and bring drama, chaos, and confusion in their wake. They teach us how to endure, struggle, survive and then how to handle the aftermath when things go awry. Their inability to handle life or make good decisions all too often bleeds into our world and stains the future. We choose to let their trouble become our trouble, never realizing the long term impact their short stay in our lives will create. Their grey days make an imprint on our lives that may take years and tears to overcome. 

Then there are those who meet us somewhere in the middle. They are neither positive or negative, they simply travel the road with us. They help us in ways that we might not realize until they are no longer around. They add value by bringing a different persepctive and point of view. They offer simple friendship, companionship and the gift of their time and energy. Persimmon was this for us. He brought us the reminder that kindness when given away multiples in ways beyond our understanding. I hope he is fat and happy somewhere eating lots of mice and taking long naps in the sun. I hope we see him again, hear his loud meow and feel him rub against our legs. 

Keep him in your thoughts, and when or if he drops back by we will keep you posted. Until then, think today on those people who have come in and out of your life and left a mark. Be thankful for everything they have taught you, and pass it on.