A little bereavement

I had a bereavement this week - of the mousy kind. I think the neighbour's new kitten frightened him/her to death. When I found them, they were still warm and soft. It was nearly time for a lesson so I brought them in to lie in wake ( with a candle) while I worked. Later, I had a short ceremony in the garden. Pirate said a few words about how she would have liked to have met the mouse but I am not sure of her intentions. 

As I was holding the mouse, one of my neighbours came up. They looked at my little friend and scrunched up their face. Why care about such creatures? It made me feel sad and also reminded me that not everyone sees the world in the same way. Actually, I rarely find anyone who sees the world like me or lets me see the world my way without diminishing it in some way.

The little mousy reminded me of a bird I once rescued when I lived in Basel. That had a happy ending but mostly I found myself thinking about the person I shared that experience with. Unlike my neighbour, they didn't belittle or question my actions. In fact, they did the opposite. Expressing empathy and compassion  while gently guiding me to the right decision to let the bird go. We had assumed it was dead, and yet when we opened up the box, it flew into the trees. I find it rare that I meet people who just let me be me and this little mousy reminded me of this but also of the beautiful fact that those people do exist.

Run free little mousy, up to the wheel in the sky. 

On a brighter note, the mimosa tree has started flowering. It reminds me of Australia and smells like spring, Happy daze.