Mesmerized By Faith       Teresa P. Thompson     © Copyright 2004 by Teresa P. Thompson

Mesmerized By Faith Prayer has always been a huge part of my life. From the earliest time that I can remember back into my childhood, I have always relied on my prayers and my faith in the Lord. I can remember saying my prayers at night long before I ever started school.

 Cats have always been another big part of my life. As with prayer, I can not remember a time when I did not have a great love for these wonderful mysterious creatures. At one point in my life a miraculous thing happened that would bond these two loves into the web of my life forever---something that would forever change my views on the power of prayer.

 It was the summer of 1973 and it was just another long day in the life of a ten-year-old, with my carefree plans of fun and play. I had no way of knowing what the day had in store for me and how the outcome of that day would change me for the rest of my life.

 Maramony, my beloved cat, and I had spent the day just hanging out together and having fun together. Maramony was a domestic long-hair gray tabby that enjoyed the company of her master as much as I enjoyed her company. She was almost like a dog, with her following me almost everywhere I went. When I would take a break and just sit on the porch to relax, she would curl up in under the chair where I sat or in my lap for a quick nap. As soon as I was ready to get back to the adventures of my fun and play, so was Maramony ready to return to that make believe world of adventure.

 I can recall like it was yesterday how my dad had been working on pouring a concrete porch in the front of our house. He had told me several times that day to stay out of the wet cement and to keep the cat out of it as well. As any kid would, I heard him, but paid no attention to his warnings. I remember playing with the new kite that I had just put together and almost forgetting about Maramony. I suppose I was just so used to her being there that I just took it for granted that she always would be.

 "Maramony," I called, as the evening sky began to turn darker and darker.

 I suppose I was not worried because I just figured that she was out playing and would show up in a few minutes. Besides I still had a couple of hours before bed time and I ran off to take my bath without any thought or fear of what I was about to encounter before the evening came to an end.

 As I stepped from the bath tub I can remember thinking that Maramony is surely outside the front door waiting for her dinner by now. I hurried and dried off, got into my pajamas and ran to the door expecting to see my favorite ball of fur waiting patiently.

 The disappointment set in as I opened the door to find no trace of Maramony. I began to call her name into the dark evening night, but after some time I began to worry that perhaps something had happened to her.

 "Teresa, it is almost time for bed," I heard my dad call from inside the house. "Hurry and get back inside and get ready."

 I began to panic as I realized that it was getting later and I could not ever go to bed without finding my precious cat first. But what was I going to do? I knew that my dad would just tell that she was probably out and would be back by morning. I knew that he would not let a missing cat keep me from getting to bed on time. Still with everything inside me I knew that I would not be able to sleep without knowing that she was all right. I also knew that she would never just go off without eating her diner and without her nightly rub down by my small fingers and a good-night kiss. I suddenly felt as though something terrible must have happened.

 "Daddy, please help me find her before I go to bed," I pleaded just minutes later. "I know she would never just ignore me---I just know it!"

 After several minutes of begging my dad to help me find her, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew there was just no getting me to give it up until we at least tried to find her.

 "All right, I will help you look for a few minutes, but if we don't find her we will just have to wait until morning," he said sympathetically.

 We probably hadn't been looking around the yard for just a few minutes when I heard my father's voice softly say, "I found her."

I was thrilled as I ran towards him, but suddenly I could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. My fears were confirmed when I saw the lifeless body of my beloved Maramony in his arms.

 The look of her limp body will forever be embedded in my memory. Even I, a child, could tell that she was dead.

 "I am sorry, Tres, she doesn't seem to be breathing. I don't know what has happened because there doesn't seem to be any marks or cuts on her body," I heard my dad saying as he laid her on a rug on the porch.

 I felt the hot tears begin to flow down my cheeks as I felt my small heart break into. I just could not accept that my Maramony was actually dead! She had become by best friend and I could not imagine life without her. I watched as my dad examined her body from head to toe. I saw her limp lifeless body slid from his hands as he placed her back onto the rug.

 "I am sorry, but it looks like she is gone, honey," My dad said as he placed his hands on my shoulders. "I wish I knew what to say or do. But there is only one thing that we can do and that is to bury her."

 Even at my tender age, I knew better than to even think about us taking her to the vet. Aside from the fact that it was after hours at our small town animal hospital, I also knew that my dad would never spend money to find out what had happened to her. He was never really a big animal lover and to him that would have just been wasting good money.

 "Are you sure she is dead?" I begged as I watched him roll her body up in the rug, preparing to get her ready to bury. "She might just be asleep or maybe she has just passed out!"

 "Honey, she is dead. It looks like she has probably eaten some of the wet concrete," my dad said softly. "She has concrete all around her mouth. She is not breathing and it looks like she has probably been dead for several hours."

 I felt my knees become weak as I ran into the house. As I fell to the living room floor, all I could think of was to pray. I knew that Jesus knew how much I loved Maramony and I truly believed with all of my heart that he would bring her back if I just prayed and believed hard enough.

 As I began to pray for the life of my cat, I began to feel such peace and comfort that it was as though someone or something not of this world was standing right in front of me. I could feel the presence of my Jesus overwhelming me. It was as though I could reach out and touch him. The feeling was so calming that even I, a young girl of 10 years old, could understand that something miraculous was happening. However I had no idea what until I heard my father's voice interrupting my prayers.

 "I can't believe this!" My dad shouted as he opened the door. "This cat was dead just a few minutes ago!"

 I looked up through my tears to see him standing there with Maramony in his arms! I suddenly realized that her eyes were open and she was moving her head around as though she was looking for me! My girl was not dead after all! She was really alive and here she was just a few feet away from my arms!

 "Maramony!" I screamed, as I ran to retrieve my cat from my dad's hold. "Are you really all right? Are you really alive? " I cried as I held her close to me.

 Suddenly as I was holding her I felt myself fall to my knees and before I knew what I was doing I heard myself thanking God that he had given her back to me. It was then that I realized that my prayers had been answered. He had heard the cries and the prayers of a little girl for her beloved cat, and he had given her back to me. There was just no other explanation for this miracle that I had just witnessed.

 I was so overjoyed to have my cat back that I didn't think about listening to my dad's story of how he realized that she was alive until the next day. All I knew was that she was here, alive, and that she was not leaving my side that night.

 As I curled up in the covers that night, I held my dear Maramony close to me. I remember drifting off to sleep by the sound of her soft purring. It was only later the next day that I was to learn what had actually happened.

 Just as my dad was about to pick up the rug and carry it around the house to be buried, he had suddenly heard a faint "meow." Not believing that it could possibly be Maramony, he continued to pick up the rug. As he held the rug with her limp body inside in his hand, he said that he suddenly felt a movement. He dropped the rug to the porch and rolled it away from the cat. Suddenly he saw her eyes begin to open and she began to make loud noises. Just seconds later she began to throw up and with a closer examination he said he could see that she was throwing up chunks of concrete.

 Although he has never said anything, I know that my dad felt that something strange or miraculous had happened that night. I don't think that I ever even told him about my prayer just seconds before he enter the door with my cat; although I suppose he saw me on my knees when he entered the living room. I have no idea if he even realized that it was my prayer that brought my Maramony back to me, but I will forever be certain that it was that payer that saved her life.

 It has been over 30 years since that night, and I still can recall that overwhelming feeling of knowing that someone was with me that night as I prayed for my Maramony to come back to me. There are those who may think that she probably wasn't actually dead, but I know better. I saw her limp lifeless body. I touched her still face as she lay on that porch that night. I know with all of my heart that she was dead and through the prayers and belief in the miracles of God and his son Jesus Christ that wonderful friend was given back to a little girl.

 Even though Maramony is no longer with me, she lived to be an old cat. She had a wonderful life and I have many cherished memories of her that will forever be embedded in my heart. When her time came to go I was able to let go gracefully and not look back. It was as though I knew that she and I had been given many years together and it was now time for me to say good-bye.

 There are times when I can close my eyes and see that vision of that little girl (myself) kneeling on the floor in prayer that her cat would be all right.

 It is almost as though I can also see a great white light surrounding that little girl, as though it is God answering her prayer. Perhaps it was that light that comforted me that night. I have no way of knowing, but I do know that it was that prayer and that faith that brought my Maramony back to me.

 The one thing that I learned from this miraculous experience is that no matter how old or young we are, if our faith is strong enough we really can "move mountains" through our trust in Jesus Christ. All we need is "the faith as of a grain of a mustard seed" just like the faith that little girl (myself) had that night when the life of her beloved cat was given back to her.

 This experience will forever have me "mesmerized by faith."
 

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