Memories and tapestries

It's a long weekend here in Adelaide and Faith and I have been taking great advantage of it; The weather has been pretty sweet and we've found a nice balance of being outdoors and indoors.

Since Friday evening we've been sorting through a lot of printed photos, organising them and discarding as required.

We have many printed photos because digital cameras didn't exist when we were younger and considering Faith and I have been together since 1987 we have piles of them from our lives together. It's been a lot of fun sorting them to be honest, much different to sitting in front of the computer looking at digital images and I have to say, there's been a lot of laughter in the process.

We've come across many funny photos, bad ones too, and the memories they've inspired, looking back on our lives, has been rewarding. Of course, we've also come across photos that bring a degree of sadness, or mixed-emotion and you can see a few of those here. (These photos are photos of photos which is why the quality isn't that good.)

This little white bundle of fur is our cat Dixie.

I gave her to my wife, as a kitten, for a gift and she quickly became the most important thing we had. We loved her a lot but Faith and Dixie had a pretty special relationship that went beyond simple pet-owner bonds. They were inseparable and and would often spend hours hanging out and talking, yes I say talking because I actually think they understood each other. Dixie brought us amazing joy and we poured a lot of love and emotion into that little cat; She returned it, with interest, too. She was a wonderful little thing. (This image was taken the day I gave Dixie to Faith. I don't think Faith stopped smiling for weeks.)

We had Dixie for ten happy years and would have had that pampered little thing for many more had we not lost her.

We noticed she was having breathing difficulties one day and took her to the vet; She had an emergency operation that evening. After two weeks in pet-hospital she was permitted to come home, but she died, in Faith's arms, that evening. It is still painful to think about it. That was eight years ago.

I think what makes it worse for us is that her injuries, several erratically broken ribs on one side, were conducive with a kick to the side. Yes, someone kicked our cat very hard.

I know who it was; The boyfriend of an interstate guest we had in the house the few days before Dixie's breathing difficulties began...But I cannot prove it. If I could, that person would have found themselves in hospital, or worse.

Anyway, we spent some time going through hundreds of Dixie photos laughing, and crying also...After a time we simply felt grateful to have had her in our lives and have the memories and experiences that came along with her.

We have Merlin and Cleo now, and feel the same way about them, but Dixie was a special little thing and we both miss her very much. I don't think that emotion will go away. We had ten amazing years with that little ball of fur and despite the fact losing her cost us so much pain and sorrow we would not change anything. Well, we have changed something...No one stays at our home anymore. Literally no one; We will not risk a repeat performance of what happened with Dixie.

A great man once said;

“Remember tonight...for it is the beginning of always”

I couldn't agree more; It's no wonder Dante was such a celebrated poet. He's captured the true essence of living in the moment and how each moment we live becomesforever in our minds.

Dante Alighieri didn't have the benefit of photographs to record his life back in the 13th and 14th centuries when he lived, but we do and I am thankful for them. He had words though, and some seven hundred years later some of us are still reading them and finding great value in them, like the quote above. It's kind of cool.

I hold to the belief that each moment of our lives should be designed and created to resemble our best version of it; The alternative is a default life, and one not lived fully. It's just my opinion and you can disagree if you like.

I'm not sure where I came across it, but a while ago I started to embrace the concept that life is like a tapestry we create in the image of our choosing; Each memory, action, activity or experience is a thread of our own lives, one we weave into that tapestry.

Looking at my tapestry, Faith's and mine, I have to say it looks pretty good...It is vibrant, full of colourful threads, and despite including sorrow, loss, failure, heartache and disappointment within its weave, there's also success, happiness, fulfilment, love and laughter.

How's your's looking?

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Tomorrow isn't promised - Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default
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