Gracie's Ghost

1/7/2008

Good morning my friend and casual reader.

You read my letter about losing my little Gracie just 2 weeks ago. If not, drop back one letter and read that post. Now let me tell you her sounds, her scent, her presence, her steps, are still echoing through our home.

Karen and I have shared stories over the last few days of how Gracie may be refusing to leave. I am watching television up stairs, and I hear her running on the stairs, just as real as life. Last night, I hear something to my right, and there is a shadow, a dark shade at the top of the stairs, and I see her in my peripheral vision, her favorite place to rest just out of reach.

I got up yesterday morning, and in rolling out of bed, there was Gracie moving across my feet, shifting under my moving, finding a more comfortable place at the foot of our bed.

Karen said she looked up from getting out of the shower snd looked into the hall and said a glimpse of Gracie ran past the door, and the running noise she makes running in the hall. She knows we fuss at her when running in the house and it was her way of getting our attention.

I sat at the top of the stairs and there is noise downstairs, and it sounds as if Gracie's running and playing, just like she used to do. Then I find her favorite ball at the very bottom step at the bottom of the stairs and I had missed it for days. Maybe I moved it and did not know it or did Gracie put it there to let me know she was here?

I have picked up most of her toys and put them away. But now I am finding nesting places she had that I did not know about. I look across the room and there is motion in my vision, looking like her tail sweeping from under the furniture as she used to do.

Last night I was watching television in bed, and dozed off, then awakened with her running across the foot of the bed, hitting Karen's cherry highboy, sliding to a noisey stop. It was so real I lifted myself to look to see if she was truly there?

14 years plus leaving lots of memories and habits and these will fall away in time. But she left her mark on us, changing us and made our love more for her everyday. What a Kitty! Love ya Gracie, we truly miss you!

j and k