Only the Present Counts

“No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again” – Buddha

Nasha and her two brothers had a rough start in life. They had probably been born in a house, unwanted kittens of someone's pet cat, mercilessly packed into a

cardboard box and dumped in a public park. This park is a favorite spot for dog owners in the area and a number of strays as well. Three tiny kittens alone and terrified of dogs, found a safe haven in a treetop and stayed there, crying for hours, until they were

rescued and put up for adoption immediately.

The two ginger boys were deemed easily adoptable from the beginning, but their little sister wasn’t so fortunate. Her huge disadvantages of being a female and even more so of being

a tortie with white, seriously diminished her chances of getting adopted into a nice, loving home. She had been advertised up for adoption countless times over the months, but not many people were interested. Nobody really wanted her, no one seemed to be ready to provide her with care, love, and a safe, secure place she could consider to be a forever home.

She must’ve been at least five months old when she finally got adopted, but just a couple of

short weeks later her new family went on a trip, so she ended up in a temporary dwelling first, and then arrived here. She was kind of strange, not really shy but somehow hopeless and distant, her eyes had no sparkle and her face held no expressions. Every

time I touched her, she would freeze up like a suspicious statue, showing no emotions at all. It was as if she had never been pampered and loved and had just stopped expecting anything. She was also quite small for her age, and maybe a bit too slender.

Being so thin, she managed to escape through the fence promptly upon arrival and I hadn’t seen her for days. She had to be somewhere around, but no signs of her presence could be spotted anywhere. I didn’t even consider the possibility that her

whereabouts would remain unknown and just kept looking for her, but by the time she finally appeared her owners had already adopted another kitty, so the shelter became her forever home.

And then, little by little, she began to

melt and learned to trust. She was getting bigger, gaining weight, making new friends and enjoying attention. The change in her didn’t happen overnight, it took her quite some time to relax and start behaving as a cheerful, playful kitty. She must’ve always

been one deep inside; finally, her self-confidence was growing and she was obviously feeling better about herself with every passing day. The spring came, she got spayed and during the surgery it was discovered she had large ovarian cysts, so she got fixed

just in the nick of time, before her problems could evolve into something worse.

Now, a year later, Nasha is a full grown, chubby and beautiful kitty beaming with joy and health. She’s come a long way from the unwanted, abandoned kitten she

once was; her movements are free flowing, gracious and soft. She radiates strength and dignity, while her golden eyes are gleaming with confidence and the utmost certainty that everything will be all right. Her past is forgotten by now, her future looks

promising; she is free to enjoy the present and that is the key to true happiness.