“Perseverance, secret of all triumphs.” – Victor Hugo
A couple of months ago, a cat of mine was nicked by a car. The cat, a runt in a litter of three, tried to escape the hazards of this “monstrosity” coming its way, but couldn’t. Though hurt, the cat I named “Cow-Moo” as dedication to his ancestor “Moo-Cow”, hobbled his way onto my front porch; trying to seemingly process what just happened. The initial fear was Cow-Moo had suffered internal injuries. Thankfully those fears were put to rest and Cow-Moo had only suffered a bone fracture in his left rear leg.
Cow-Moo, a passive kitten who hadn’t lost that quiet demeanor, showcased something in him that I never saw before – a distinct will to survive without my assistance. Like any animal, the instinct to nurse itself back to health after an injury is a given. But Cow-Moo seemed too weak to work his way through this without extensive help. Cow-Moo proved me wrong.
After struggling for two days with learning to use the bathroom with only one hind leg, climbing stairs and generally moving around, Cow-Moo began his personal rehabilitation journey. Cow-Moo is now more active and playful than he was during his developmental days. They say cats have nine lives, but it’s almost like a “simple” animal learned something we as humans can and will most likely struggle with for as long as we exist: a true understanding of how fragile life is. When that fragility shatters, it’s up to us to find the perseverance to survive, to push through the trials. It is only then we find what it truly means to live.
