Grieving and praising life are twins

I’ve been sitting vigil with my dying kitty for about 24 hours now. I have not slept. She has consistently needed tending to as she can no longer stand but clearly indicates a need to move and shift her body that she might be comfortable. This is precious, delicious time.

I’ve been watching the film “Griefwalker” which features Stephen Jenkinson. I posted a video and short film a few days back with him in it. You can view the whole thing here: Grief is the human angel in the world. I link to “Griefwalker,” the other film in that post because it’s available on Netflix for instant viewing.

I just watched it and how lovely and healing to watch it now with my dying kitty in my lap.

I am paraphrasing something Stephen says at the end of the film in this post right here below because it’s a nugget of truth that if we all understood we’d live in a different world. One I’d like to inhabit:

Grief is not a feeling, grief is a skill. The twin of grief is the skill of praising/loving  life. If you find one skillfully done the other is there. Grief and the ability to love life are clinking their glasses and saying “live well!”

I praise this wondrous life we’ve been given and I grieve the impending loss of my dear dear friend, Jezebel.

Part 2: Jezebel 1994 – 2013, rest in peace my little medicine cat…