By Jeanette M. Pintar - with inspiration from Misty

Although Mark and I knew very little about cats, it was obvious whomever Misty's original "humans" were, they did not treat her very humanely. She showed many symptoms of abuse… extreme fear of mops, brooms, papers, shoes, and especially men's voices. She was terrified of being picked up and placed on the bed or couch next to us. It was clear that she had been disciplined to an extreme.

It took a long time for Misty to overcome her fears. As a matter of fact, it took a long time for me to overcome mine. (Some of them I'm still working on.) Being hurt by those you rely on for your love and care does something to one's soul that no amount of time will ever heal by itself. It requires facing the reality of your past, acknowledging what you are afraid of, and mustering everything you have inside of you to reach just a little further past your comfort zone into new behaviors, choices, and trust. With time's assistance, you can work through your wounds. But you must make the commitment and continually refuel your desire to do so.

Misty and I both decided it was time to work through what troubled us. With lots of love and encouragement, (and Fishies for Misty) we both grew past our hurts and fears. Within a few years, Misty had transformed herself from a scared, timid, untrusting soul into the beautiful feline goddess she was created to be. Me? The verdict is still out on the goddess part! But I've done pretty good at working through things and have transformed my Self and my life into something I could only once dream of. It took some time, but mostly it took effort and choices…and it was worth every bit of it!

Remember: Time does not heal all wounds, working through them does.

--- © Jeanette M. Pintar, inspired by Misty