It has been a tumultuous week. Shifu, the Master, my sister’s pet cat, who was a beautiful presence in our lives, has left this world forever. He had brought so much happiness in the lives of all those who’d met or known him. For that reason, he will never leave our hearts. He epitomised the idea of unconditional and pure love – always giving and never demanding.
It didn’t matter that he was not my own cat; he was a fully-fledged member of the extended family and was an integral part of my sister’s home. With so many family get togethers and/or casual drop ins there, it was inevitable that his presence – and now his absence – was always going to impact us.
Shifu came into my sister’s life at exactly the same time that things in my own were unravelling fast. From his kitten days to maturity, watching him grow, along with the performance of his many antics, brought me and my boys immense joy in our regular visits to my sister’s home. He was always a welcome distraction and offered so many moments of friendship, solace and comfort when we were slowly rebuilding our lives and trying to escape dark episodes.
His passing has made me look back at those eight years, realising that it’s been quite a journey for all of us. There are plenty of photos and video clips shared between so many phones that it seems we didn’t miss any of the memorable moments that he experienced. Some were funny, others painful (when he went for surgery) and yet so many more were just entertaining to watch.
Knowing that he will no longer be part of our lives is crushing. There are many milestones ahead of different members of our family that Shifu will no longer be witness to. I know it’s crazy to think of it like that! After all, cats aren’t the slightest bit interested in a human’s future goals. Their only desires revolve around themselves and their comforts. We don’t discuss or share our stories with our pets. However, just knowing that Shifu won’t be there in the background, makes me feel sad that we will have to move on without him. He will no longer be that background character on the stage with the main actors as the story unfolds. On the other hand, I take comfort that he lived a full life and was very well taken care of. He had total freedom and never lived in fear of humans. Unquestionably, he was adored by everyone who met him.
Thinking of the loss of a pet cat that wasn’t even my own and the profound sadness that has overcome all of us involved, makes me think of the loss of a loved one in human form. The stark reality is that if someone we love departs this world, life has to go on. We might stop in our tracks temporarily whilst we mourn the loss and come to terms with it but it would do no good to surrender ourselves to sorrow. The sense of loss will be something we always carry and to move on is not the same as to forget. It is not a callous thing to do. It’s a necessary thing to do.
The loss of Shifu is a reminder of the nature of the Duniya (world). There will be – and have been – many losses experienced. Our own departure will be mourned for some time but for those left behind, we would want nothing less than for them to continue their own journey as best they can. Sorrow should not paralyse us. It is simply wise to learn how to internalise and cope with it whilst we plough through the rest of our time here. InshaAllah, things will get easier over time.
mymotherhalf.com 