Words of Sympathy, Kindess is the best Christmas Gift

The holidays are a time of joy and celebration. However, for some it is a month of frenzy, pressure, and stress.

Recently, my blog sister, Christine, experienced the sudden death of her five year old baby boy-- a cat. While Christine may not have primate children like me, those three loving pets ARE her children. She talks to them, trains them, cares for them, travels with them on weekend trips (from Sarasota to Key West) and they follow her around the home. Two of the three are cats.

While we have been worrying about my husband possibly getting killed in Iraq, Christine is the one to face a sudden loss, her first. The impact is great for her especially during the holidays. Pepe Francois was her Christmas cat--he graced the cover of many family Christmas cards and loved to run around and up the Christmas tree. Swatting the Christmas bulbs, rolling around the jingle bells, and knocking over his stocking full of treats were part of the festivities for the cats.

Take a moment to read about this angelic creature and fall in love with his stunning photos. If you ever lost a pet, or faced a sudden loss, please share your thoughts, advice or well wishes with Christine in the COMMENT section.

It's easy to purchase a gift for someone. Let's not forget those who are hurting and offer just a few words. For Christine, she says each kind word or comment is like Pepe Francois speaking to her. Her angel is talking to her from cat heaven.