| I saw this on the rsjames forum and posted it a couple other places, but I wanted to share it with folks on here. I've reread it numerous times, and I cry more each time I read it..
Partly because I have so much guilt about so many things, and partly because I was mean to our wonderful cat Cory before I adopted him as a stray. I used to chase him out of my yard and throw stones, not to hit him, thank God, I wasn't THAT heartless, but to scare him away. But he just kept coming back again and again, and one day my daughter and I started to feed him, and little by little he came closer and finally let us pet him.
He got a leg infection and I had to take him to the vet, and when we got home i was soaking his leg in a hot compress and he started to 'knead' my arm! Then he got lost for three days and Myla and I cried and cried, but fortunately he was stuck in the neighbor's garage, which I found out by hearing his faint meow. Then he had his ear torn by some animal and had some bite marks, so we turned him into a permanent house cat, which he took to admirably well.
.....Anyway, I read the following story a few times then suddenly broke down into uncontrollable sobs. My daughter was comforting me, never having sen me so emotional, although i have no problem crying when something hits me. My wife was on the phone and knows nothing of this. So, here is the story. it is very sad but is also very encouraging for us to love others unconditionally:
UGLY
Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and, shall we say, love. The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye and where the other should have been was a hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby, striped type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, and even his shoulders. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. "That's one UGLY cat!!!"
All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around your feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor's dogs. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. It must be hurting him terribly, I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying, was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring.
Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly.
Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for.
Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me.............. I will always try to be Ugly.
Author Unknown
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