Recently, my cat of 13 years passed away unexpectedly, and with this untimely death, I have been thinking about how often we take the people, things, and even animals in our lives for granted, and why it's not until the bitter end that most people truly appreciate it all the time.

My reasoning behind why we take things for granted is because the things we hold so dear become, what we believe, unchanging constants. We see our siblings and parents everyday when we come home, we talk to our friends at school, and we play with our pets at night. These things don't seem to change suddenly, and therefore we place greater focus on the things in our lives that are more likely to change: projects at work and school, our income, bills, or the newest episode of our favorite TV show. We fail to realize how fortunate we are to have what we have.

This is what has happened to me once my pal of 13 years passed.

Skeeter was a habit in my life. He constantly went out late at night on adventures, slept for long periods during the day, and once in a while I would play with him or pet him in passing between his demanding activities as a slender, agile house cat (whatever that actually meant).

Now, looking back, I wish I had loved him more. I wish I had let him sleep in my bed more often instead of throwing him out because he incessantly pawed at my face, or when he climbed into my lap, to enjoy the moment he wanted to spend time with me, instead of doing a number of other things he could have wanted to do or that I wanted to do. But I didn't. I was too selfish and absorbed to notice when he wanted to be with me, and now I regret every moment to spend time with him that I gave up.

I hope, somehow, maybe in another life or another plane, he forgives me for my naïve selfishness and impatience. I hope he is at peace, and that my scrawny, Coraline-looking cat is happy.

His passing reminds me to appreciate those around me, to remind me that everything in my life isn't permanent, and to enjoy the moments in my life as they happen and never take a single thing for granted.

I'll miss ya, little buddy. I hope your life was an amazing one.